AudioPros.com-Professional Audio

Audacity - FREE multrack software tutorial

2009-06-15T06:54:00.005-07:00

Michael Stone - AudioPros.com and MichaelStoneMusic.com

I've used Audacity in the past. It's a useful basic audio prodution software for those who can't afford some of the higher end production applications.

It doesn't come with MIDI capability, but can be used for basic recording and conversion of audio into most formats. It also supports some VSTs. And it is a multi-track APP. Another nice benefit is that it works on most any operating system: ie: WIndows, Mac or Linux.

I recently found a nice video tutorial from Herbert Midgley that can give you an idea of whether this is a software will fit your needs.

Enjoy!
Michael Stone

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Features

This is a list of features in Audacity, the free audio editor. For more information on how to use these features, go to the help pages.
Recording

Audacity can record live audio through a microphone or mixer, or digitize recordings from cassette tapes, vinyl records, or minidiscs. With some sound cards, it can also capture streaming audio.

* Record from microphone, line input, or other sources.
* Dub over existing tracks to create multi-track recordings.
* Record up to 16 channels at once (requires multi-channel hardware).
* Level meters can monitor volume levels before, during, and after recording.

Import and Export

Import sound files, edit them, and combine them with other files or new recordings. Export your recordings in several common file formats.

* Import and export WAV, AIFF, AU, and Ogg Vorbis files.
* Import MPEG audio (including MP2 and MP3 files) with libmad.
* Export MP3s with the optional LAME encoder library.
* Create WAV or AIFF files suitable for burning to CD.
* Import and export all file formats supported by libsndfile.
* Open raw (headerless) audio files using the “Import Raw” command.
* Note: Audacity does not currently support WMA, AAC, or most other proprietary or restricted file formats.

Editing

* Easy editing with Cut, Copy, Paste, and Delete.
* Use unlimited Undo (and Redo) to go back any number of steps.
* Very fast editing of large files.
* Edit and mix an unlimited number of tracks.
* Use the Drawing tool to alter individual sample points.
* Fade the volume up or down smoothly with the Envelope tool.

Effects

* Change the pitch without altering the tempo, or vice-versa.
* Remove static, hiss, hum, or other constant background noises.
* Alter frequencies with Equalization, FFT Filter, and Bass Boost effects.
* Adjust volumes with Compressor, Amplify, and Normalize effects.
* Other built-in effects include:
o Echo
o Phaser
o Wahwah
o Reverse

Sound Quality

* Record and edit 16-bit, 24-bit, and 32-bit (floating point) samples.
* Record at up to 96 kHz.
* Sample rates and formats are converted using high-quality resampling and dithering.
* Mix tracks with different sample rates or formats, and Audacity will convert them automatically in realtime.

Plug-Ins

* Add new effects with LADSPA plug-ins.
* Audacity includes some sample plug-ins by Steve Harris.
* Load VST plug-ins for Windows and Mac, with the optional VST Enabler.
* Write new effects with the built-in Nyquist programming language.

Analysis

* Spectrogram mode for visualizing frequencies.
* “Plot Spectrum” command for detailed frequency analysis

A Pro Tools Tutorial series - Introduction

2009-06-08T08:12:00.002-07:00

Michael Stone - AudioPros.com and MichaelStoneMusic.com

Since the late 60's I have been involved in music and recording in some form or fashion, eventually turning it into my bread and butter. Sometimes radio and music have barely paid the bills, but it is better than building widgets for a living. It's fun and it's a passion.

I've worked with cassettes, multi-track tape, hard disk work stations and of course over the course of the last 15 years or so, I've been swept up in the digital audio revolution using computers. I've been a PC user ever since computers became a daily part of my life and have only dabbled in Apple/Mac products.

Apple users are usually VERY adamant that their platform far exceeds PC's when it comes to graphics and audio/video production.

I did have a baptism by fire of sorts, into Pro Tools when I recorded "Inspired by a true story." We did much of the work at my home studio, but then took many of the MIDI tracks to Colorado Sound in Denver to take advantage of Tom Capek's expertise and huge library of marvelous sounds to incorporate into the album.

Over the years I've had a few small experiences with the product, but when I ran into the following series of tutorials from Artist House Music, I thought I should share them with you. Enjoy!

A virtuoso MIDI drummer and trying to explain MIDI to Mom....

2009-06-05T07:00:00.007-07:00

-- Michael Stone --

Yesterday, I posted a video that showed the slower tedious, but effective way to program MIDI drums. At the same time I also sent this video to a number of musical friends demonstrating Brandon Bush's mastery of MIDI drumming via the keyboard.
http://vimeo.com/4682836 ... Pretty amazing stuff.

"Spies Like Us" - Keyboard Drums Jam from Andrew Aversa on Vimeo.

I got a note back from my Mom asking , "What are MIDI skills?" I tried to explain. It's long winded but you may find it of interest.
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Hi Mom..

OK let me try to explain what MIDI is. It stands for :MIDI (short for Musical Instrument Digital Interface) a music industry standard communications protocol that lets MIDI instruments and sequencers (or computers running sequencer software) talk to each other to play and record music.

Nowadays many musical "instruments" are software that play specific instruments ie: horns, organ, piano, strings. The resulting sound that is recorded in the computer is comparable if not better than the actual "live" instrument, though sometimes lacking the 'feel" a live musician brings to a tune.

The "instruments" are "triggered" by an external keyboard, ie: synthesizer or digital piano. The information as to loudness, velocity with which you strike the keys on the keyboard are all turned into digital data that in turn makes the software play the sounds that the musician has chosen. See those organ lessons did pay off :)

All of these sounds can then manipulated to increase velocity with which the note is hit, sustain of note, pitch. and a host of other alterations that can be adjusted using the software as determined by the musician.

These sounds like strings, organ, flute, piano, bass, drums etc. , can then be layered over each other to create the complete band. Throw in some "live" musicians on guitar or other instruments and you've got a production.

You said the "drummer" in the video I sent looked like he was barely touching the keys as he laid down the drum tracks. That was what made the video so incredible is the virtuosity with which he had developed his skills.

Examples of all of this, MIDI and live are on the songs from my CD....

* All drums on ALL of my songs are using MIDI and played/programmed by David Wohl, EXCEPT, "Believe" (MIDI drums- Dimitrius Liolos - Athens Greece) and "To Be Free." ) (LIVE drums by Elad Fish in LA -see note below)

* The drums on "Believe" were played/programmed via MIDI by Dimitrius Liolis in Athens Greece.

*The gorgeous strings on "Will you stay" were MIDI performed by David Wohl.

* The flute on the song 'Blue Eyed Friend" is actually played by me using a MIDI keyboard.

* The saxophone on "Today" is me playing keyboard with MIDI.

* All the guitars are played by me except on "To Be Free" and "We should've been fiends." Additional bass and electric guitars were provided by Asef Rodeh and Guy Bartor, musicians in Israel.

* The LIVE saxophones on "We should've been friends" were provided by Dan Cipriano in NY.

* The LIVE horns on "Heaven Can Wait" were performed by Jim Miller in Paris, TX.

As you can see all of this was a large collaborative effort involving both live and MIDI instrumentation. And all of that for ONLY 8 songs, not really many songs considering most cds nowadays come with 10 plus songs. But it was the best I could do ( and afford). Did I make money on this ? Not even close, but it really is all about the creative effort and the realization of my musical vision, and all in all I was very pleased.

Of course I'm looking to improve on all of that on the newest project. Fingers crossed that I can accomplish this new quest, I've set forward.

Many times my Becky asks me why I write these blogs and do all of these OCD things that I do. Good question, but every once in a while they do pay off.

See the note below from Elad Fish. He's a producer and incredible drummer in LA (To Be Free) What he's offered is a great value...

This was all long winded, but I hope it helps you understand the process behind the music.

Love you!
Me

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From Elad:

Hi Michael,
I hope all's well. Long time no see..

I saw your blog on AudioPros.com and fell in LOVE. :) (http://audiopros.blogspot.com/2009/06/creating-midi-drum-tracks.html)

You are really talented writer. I like it!

I was thinking: "What if your next post will be about LIVE drum tracks?"

I noticed that the song in the video on your home page (http://michaelstonemusic.com/index.html) has midi drums... Would you be interested in drum track from one of StudioPros.com 's drummers ?

Elad.
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My answer to Elad !

Hell yes.... !!
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Let me tell you about the difference between a "live" drummer and a MIDI drummer in my humble opinion. THERE IS NO COMPARISON.

A good "live" drummer, such as Elad or his crew at StudioPros.com will always outshine a MIDI created drum part.

I used Elad's talents on "To Be Free", as well as StudioPro's, Asef Rodeh and Guy Bartor on guitar and bass on several tracks you can listen to below. We also used MIDI on many other tracks, mainly because of budget constraints.

Either way this is such an incredible way for musicians get quality players on their own tracks.

I'll be using my friends at StudioPros.com in the future and hope to be able to chronicle this process on this blog. I hope you'll find it useful and of interest.

Creating MIDI drum tracks

2009-06-04T05:33:00.004-07:00

-- Michael Stone --

I use many different softwares and one of the more frustrating problems I've run into, as I'm sure you have, is the enormous lack of information and comprehensive tutorials from the makers.

Cakewalk is especially bad at this. When I got Sonar 6 or 7 Producer (can't remember which), I purchased with the specific intention and excitement to use the Session2 drummer. No where, and I scoured the manual completely, was there even ONE reference to the Session 2 Drummer part of the program !

You have got to be kidding me. After searching many forums I was finally able to find how to get it going.

All that being said I'm always searching for well done, comprehensive, demonstrations of "how" to do things in my various softwares.

Lately programming MIDI drums has been one of my quests. I found the video below. The singer and video quality not withstanding, I found this non narrative demo instructive in how to put together a MIDI drum track and how to do it quickly with mouseclicks on the computer.

Another great source for very comprehensive is Scott Garrigus' Sonar 8 Power !

SONAR 8 Editing MIDI

2009-05-27T07:04:00.003-07:00

By: Michael Stone

Recently I have been working hard on improving my Midi skils. I use many software's with SONAR 8 Producer being my main musical creation tool.

I was looking for Midi tutorials focusing on editing and moving notes within the piano roll, when I found this excellent explanation of some basics. ENJOY !

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Coming next working with VST's in Fruity Loops....

Cakewalk SONAR V-Studio 700 - A deeper look

2009-05-07T14:01:00.008-07:00

Hi all...

I've been using SONAR products for several years now and was interested in the V-Studio 700 they recently unveiled.

Cakewalk's Software expertise has teamed with Roland's hardware experience to create a new type of PC interface.

Personally, if the learning curve isn't too sever (and I don't think it is), this is one system, I may have to find the bucks for....

This video from GearWire.com and Cakewalk is just a start at looking at this unit.

Enjoy...
Michael Stone

Sonar 8 Producer from Cakewalk

2009-04-27T06:16:00.004-07:00

I have been using the SONAR line of products since Sonar 6 1st came out. I use multiple DAWS and this is by far my personal favorite, considering it's endless possibilities and sheer production power.

Whether you're using it for simple voice over work or complete music production you'll find a multitude of tools that empower you to create marvelous productions.

Here's what youll find:

New features and enhancements:

Loop Explorer 2.0—view provides browse and preview of audio and MIDI groove clips and patterns; quickly drag and drop loops and patterns into the track view; MIDI groove clips and patterns can be previewed with the virtual instrument of your choice.

Dedicated Instrument Track—single track optimized for mono or stereo virtual synths which simplifies the process of working with virtual instruments. In the pursuit of offering users options in how they want to work, the multi-track method of using virtual instruments employed by previous versions of SONAR is still supported. In addition users can split and combine instrument tracks to/from discrete audio/MIDI tracks.

SONAR Performance Optimizations—with focus on functionality including improved performance at high track counts and low latencies, faster launch time, and the ability to change audio devices without restarting; streamlined communication with VST plug-ins and Improved ASIO performance with output latency compensation.

User Interface optimizations—smoother display when resizing windows and panes, optimized metering, more responsive zoom and scroll.

Clip Selection Groups—Furthering SONAR's multitrack recording and take management capability, SONAR now automatically groups clips together across tracks after each recording pass — perfect for comping any multitrack ensemble performance, especially drum takes.

Aim Assist Cursor—Visual guide to assist in lining up tracks for precision editing.

Split and Mute Tools—can now edit multiple clips simultaneously.

Free Edit Tool—for performing edits by clips or by time without the need of a modifier key.

Live Effects and Soft Synth Recording—play and record effect and soft synth output into audio tracks in realtime using SONAR's live bounce feature.

Anytime Recording—while the SONAR transport is running or looping users can now arm/unarm audio and MIDI tracks, punch in, punch out, and toggle between play and record.

Exclusive Solo Mode with Solo Override—New solo mode forces soloing to one track/bus at a time and prevents tracks and buses from being muted when other tracks/buses are soloed.

Bus Inputs QuickGroup Command—automatically groups all source tracks feeding a selected bus.

Mono hardware outputs—for easy assignment of tracks and buses to individual hardware outputs in addition to stereo pairs.

Transport Updates—True Rewind, Fast Forward and Pause Buttons; Audition Button; Improved Jog/Shuttle Heuristics; optimizations for control surfaces and scrub performance.

Control Surface Enhancements—Show/Hide Tracks from Surface can follow either the Track View or Console View, obeying visible/hidden tracks, Control Surfaces MIDI port assignments retained/stored in SONAR, Real-World VST Parameter Values are now displayed.

Track View and Console View Sync now automatically syncs visible/hidden tracks between the Track View and Console View channels.

Enhanced Sample Rate Conversion — now employs the same fast convolution engine as the LP-64 series 64-bit mastering plug-ins.

Vista Audio — WASAPI support, which is compatible with any Vista audio device, including WaveRT PCI and motherboard audio, USB, and FireWire devices.

QuickTime 7 Import/Export —support for the latest QuickTime 7 codecs, including H.264 and AAC audio.

Insert Send Assistant—provides a fast and easy way to create effect buses and insert sends to new or existing buses.

Updated ACT Presets —mappings for popular plug-ins and controllers.

Templates — over 400 new production ready Track Templates and Project Templates.

Drum Maps & Presets — Updated Drum Maps and Plug-in Presets enhancing our most popular plug-ins.

Patterns — New collection of drum pattern presets for the integrated Step Sequencer.

Beatscape loop performance instrument—Beatscape, the latest instrument by Cakewalk's premier synthesis architect René Ceballos takes loop manipulation and realtime triggering/performance to new heights. Beatscape provides 16-pads to load and trigger loops or samples for sequencing your productions and beats. Each pad features a full powered REX player, Rapture-style step generator, multiple effect processors, and sophisticated groove slicing and dicing tools powered by Cakewalk's own AudioSnap slicing technology.

Drag and drop audio directly from SONAR onto the Beatscape pads and it's sync'd and ready to go. Use the built in browser to quickly load clips and loops from your collection of previously recorded material, or choose from the massive 4GB REX library of included beats, breaks and phrases in a multitude of genres ranging from house, drum n' bass, hip hop, techno, glitch, latin, reggaeton, and more from the pros at Heatseekers and X-MiX.

Beatscape is the ultimate remixing instrument. Combine audio clips from multiple recording sessions and use the 16 pads to sequence them live or into a SONAR track. Easily load key clips or loops from two separate projects, blend them together, and trigger one shot samples—all on the fly from Beatscape's up-front interface.

Load loops and trigger/mangle them on the fly.
Rearrange loop slices using the 'timber reorder' slice arranger in Beatscape's Loop Editor window to make new loops or variations of loops.
Built in Step Generator allows users to quickly and visually draw per-step changes in amplitude, panning, pitch, or LP filter with resonance on individual loops or samples.
Make your loops sound the way you want with 17 built in high quality effects.
With 3 effect inserts per pad, Beatscape can handle 48 effects at once.
Slices from each loop are mapped to their corresponding MIDI channel for pattern programming.
Easy MIDI mapping lets you simultaneously trigger entire loops and individual slices.
4 gigabytes of outstanding content arranged as construction kits, broken down into separate layers such as kicks, hats, percussion, snares, synths, and more.

Dimension Pro — SONAR now includes a full version of the acclaimed synthesizer that combines real instruments with advanced synthesis for endless sound possibilities. The underpinnings of Dimension Pro's creative possibilities is the powerful Cakewalk's Expression Engine providing several types of synthesis including multi-sample rendering, wavetable synthesis, waveguide synthesis, and REX playback and manipulation.

Over 7 GB of content for Dimension Pro including Strings, Bass, Brass, Ethnic Instruments, Evolving Ambient Textures and more.
Garritan Pocket Orchestra for Dimension Pro provides a complete set of orchestral instrumentation.
Digital Sound Factory Classic Keys Expansion Pack for Dimension Pro—about 1GB of classic electric piano sounds, created by the sound designer for the original E-MU Proteus 2000.
Hollywood Edge Sound Effects sample library with over 100 MBs of film score ready samples and sound FX.

TruePianos Amber VSTi Module — One of four modules that currently ship with the full version of TruePianos VSTi, the TruePianos Amber Module will provide SONAR users with world-class, playable piano sounds through its combination sampling, modeling, and synthesis sound design. TruePianos sounds and feels great, just like a real acoustic piano, with all the important characteristics: sympathetic resonance, inter-string harmonics, repedalling and more.

Designed to blend transparently with the musician's hands through its unique capabilities of matching to the players own playing style (and characteristics of his/her MIDI keyboard) with the help of intuitive controls.
Optimized for real-time performance, with low CPU usage even at 96khz host sampling rates and advanced polyphony levels.

TS 64 Transient Shaper — a powerful tool for sculpting the transient dynamics of any percussive based source material such as drums or guitars. The TS 64 Transient Shaper employs powerful envelope/transient-detection, linear-phase filtering, and gain-shaping to control the dynamics of individual transients of any sound with amplitude variation over time.

The TS 64 Transient Shaper utilizes the same superior linear-phase technology found in SONAR's LP-64 EQ and LP-64 Multiband where the frequency spectrum is split into bands and then summed back together while maintaining the integrity of all processed audio across all frequencies. This provides clear precise control of the timbre of each detected transient without introducing coloration, phase errors, cancellations, comb filtering, or muddy sound.

Multi-stage, linear-phase filter algorithm provides frequency dependent gain-adjustment.
Level-independent shaping of envelopes allowing for transient sustain to be shortened or extended.
Shape audio signal attack phase independently of the decay/sustain phase.
Powerful envelope/transient-detection.
Great for drum loops and percussion, taming unruly electric guitars, and for improving the attack or fullness of an acoustic guitar or piano.
Automatable parameters.
Smooth, zipperless output.
Full VST functionality for access from dedicated audio editors.

TL-64 Tube Leveler—a line driver/leveling processor that employs advanced analog vacuum-tube circuit modeling algorithms to add the unique qualities of tube color and warmth found in classic recordings to whatever source material it is applied.

TL-64 provides intuitive controls to determine the level and character of analog tube saturation, from subtle "warming" to hard-driving saturation. The TL-64 plug-in features a unique selectable Dynamic Response Filter control that when engaged employs a dynamic (versus static) tube model algorithm. The dynamic tube model behaves more like a real vacuum tube in that its characteristics change over time depending on the input signal. There is also a Bass Compensation control that compensates for any reduction in bass material as a result of low-shelf filtering. The Bass Compensation filter allows you to reduce clipping in the bass bands while still maintaining a flat output response.

Powered by StudioDevil (Gallo Engineering) known for their ultra-high-quality analog tube amplifier emulation.
Several instances of the TL-64 plug-ins can also be combined in effects chains, along with other processors, EQ, and compressors, to create a limitless palette of virtual analog effects.
Dynamic and static tube model algorithms.
High quality signal processing algorithms.
Switchable oversampling option defeats high-frequency aliasing/quantization noise.
Smooth, zipperless output.
Automatable parameters.
Library of presets.
Full VST functionality for access from dedicated audio editors.

Channel Tools—provides easy and powerful zero-latency channel processing for adjusting L/R channel placement, gain, pan/width, and phase; sample delay for precision timing adjustment of L/R channels in recordings; Automatic Mid-Side decoding of imported Mid-Side recorded material. Channel Tools can also provide a widening or narrowing effect to stereo recordings through adjustments to mid-side gain.

Intuitive control over individual placement of the left and right channels anywhere in the stereo field.
Automatically decode Mid-Side channel recordings.
Fine-tune the timing of recordings by delaying the left and/or right channel by a specific number of samples or milliseconds.
Full VST functionality for access from dedicated audio editors.

Native Instruments Guitar Rig 3 LE — built on the latest award-winning guitar amp modeler from Native Instruments; 3 amps and cabinets, 11 effects, tuner, metronome, and over 50 presets.

“SONAR 8 Producer gives you what you need for recording, composing, editing, mixing, and mastering.”
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Cakewalk's V 700 for SONAR

2009-04-08T08:17:00.004-07:00

Sonar 8 is an amazing piece of software for those of us who produce music. Whether as an indie musician or for use in Jingles as I do often.

With the news Sonar V Studio 700 studio from Cakewalk, they're taking everything to a new level with this interface.

>

AudioPros.com-Intro to Adobe Audition 3

2008-05-03T08:38:00.003-07:00

---Michael Stone---
I use Adobe Audition for my voice over and radio production, while I use Sonar 6 Producer mainly for music production.

Both are excellent for either use. This is a personal preference. Below is a video introduction to Adobe Audio. We'll post some more in depth "how to" videos coming up.

Thanks for visiting, enjoy!

Michael Stone Music POLL

2008-03-26T08:21:00.000-07:00

---Michael Stone --- MichaelStoneMusic.com (samples here)

Most recent FREE Show prep here.

I recently read an article about an Indie Artist (like myself) she came up with the idea of posting a new original song each month for her subscribers. They would subscribe for $12 per year , she would post a new song each month.

She saw this as a way to build a loyal fan base and to get her music heard with support from those who liked her originals. Also as a way to keep the pressure on herself to write and record consistently.
Click to listen to: Michael Stone's entry in the American Idol songwriting contest.
I saw this as a great way for artists to support-encourage and grow their skills and talents. Please take my poll..

View Poll View Results
Web Poll PoweredBy MicroPoll

Michael Stone Behind the scenes podcast

2008-01-12T08:23:00.000-07:00

----Michael Stone----

With the release of my cd "Inspired by a true story" I had some people ask me for some more info on how we put together the project. The Podcast below should give you a little behind the scenes glance into the music.

Thanks for your interest!

Michael Stone cd release "Inspired by a true story"

2007-12-29T08:44:00.001-07:00

Michael Stone, the owner of AudioPros.com is also a singer-songwriter as well as a radio personality..............

With the release of the cd "Inspired by a true story" you can hear the culmination of years of musical determination. Music with passion and a strong voice to deliver that music.

Think Billy Joel meets Santana. The cd is available at Michael Stone Music.com for ONLY $10. Listen to samples below.

You can buy the entire cd or Individual downloads.

VISTA PRINT is where AudioPros.Com gets business cards FREE:
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Need CREATIVE commercials or liners for your station?
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2838 Autumn Harvest Way
Fort Collins, CO 80528
1-877-799-0311
http://MichaelStoneMusic.com/
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AUDIO POSTS: MichaelStoneRadio

Watch the latest videos on YouTube.com

Michael Stone-About the music

2007-11-16T18:58:00.000-07:00

--- Michael Stone ---

I've been working hard for a while to get my cd released.

Here's a quick look at some of the songs and what's behind them from the cd "Inspired by a true story". I hope you enjoy!

Weather Blues-Walmart Wine

2007-11-05T20:02:00.000-07:00

--- Michael Stone --- AudioPros.com --- AN Audio Post
The world's One and Only Blues Weather man, Lead Bellie Louie, joins Michael Stone and Susan Moore. Click here to play the AUDIO.

He's discovered Walmart Wine!

--- Michael Stone --- AudioPros.com ---

AudioPros-Sonar 7 Rip and burn CDS

2007-11-03T15:41:00.000-07:00

---Michael Stone--- AudioPros.com ---

Sonar 7 Producer Edition is the latest upgrade from Cakewalk's line of Sonar music production software. I own and use Sonar 6 heavily in my personal music production for my personal cd and my jingle production for AudioPros.com

What we've done, and will do is assemble some of the tutorial videos, to let you look at the various aspects that the new Sonar 7 offers and whether or not it's for you.

Sonar 7 now allows for Rip and burning of CDs. It seems that this should just be a nomal part of the process. But Cakewalk just did include it. In the vieo here, you can see it's a firly easy process. It's nice to be able to change the bit depth.

Sonar 7 Producer Edition runs around $499. It's pricey, but in my experience with Cakewalk products it's worth it, even if the learning curve is a little steep.

I'd rather spend that kind of money knowing I have MUCH MORE to learn than thinking, "Is that it?".

But if that price tag totally turns you off take a look at some other products from Cakewalk . I'll have more on those more affordable products and other tutorials that I dig up around the web to help you out in your decision making process, but also in the day to day basics of running these sometimes complex programs.

All the best.

--Michael Stone--
Singer-songwriter
Radio personality
--Observer--
AudioPros.com

Weather Blues-Louie on the Colorado Rockies

2007-10-26T13:45:00.000-07:00

--- Michael Stone --- AudioPros.com ---

This is an AUDIO POST. A character I created for the show. Click on the links for the audio.

Lead bellie Louie, The World's One and Only Blues weatherman stops by with Michael and Susan. He's fired up about the Rockies being in the World Series.

Lead bellie Louie, The World's One and Only Blues weatherman stops by with Michael and Susan. His beloved Rockies lost one

Lead bellie Louie, The World's One and Only Blues weatherman stops by with Michael and Susan. He believes he sees a strategy in the Rockies losses.

Enjoy!

Michael Stone.

Weather Blues-Men & Women

2007-10-25T15:22:00.000-07:00

---Michael Stone---AudioPros.com---

Lead Bellie Louie is a character I created over 20 years ago for the show. He allows me to change up the weather forecast which we do 4 times and hour, with a little humor and fun commentarty. Here; Louie speaks on the difference between men and women. Enjoy!

I'd love to hear your comments.

Michael Stone

AudioPros-Sonar 7 video-Smart MIDI tools

2007-10-18T06:23:00.000-07:00

---Michael Stone--- AudioPros.com ---

Sonar 7 Producer Edition is the latest upgrade from Cakewalk's line of Sonar music production software.

I own and use Sonar 6 heavily in my personal music production for my personal cd and my jingle production for AudioPros.com.

What we've done, and will do is assemble some of the tutorial videos, to let you look at the various aspects that the new Sonar 7 offers and whether or not it's for you.

If you work with MIDI a lot, take a look at this tutorial onthe Smart MIDI tools. They allow you to do many MIDI functions quickly and easily.

Speed MIDI editing with SONAR 7's Smart MIDI Tools

Sonar 7 Producer Edition runs around $499. It's pricey, but in my experience with Cakewalk products it's worth it, even if the learning curve is a little steep.

I'd rather spend that kind of money knowing I have MUCH MORE to learn than thinking, "Is that it?".

But if that price tag totally turns you off take a look at some other products from Cakewalk . I'll have more on those more affordable products and other tutorials that I dig up around the web to help you out in your decision making process, but also in the day to day basics of running these sometimes complex programs.

All the best.
--Michael Stone--
Singer-songwriter
Radio personality
--Observer--
AudioPros.com

AudioPros-Sonar 7 video- Drums-beats rythyms

2007-10-16T13:10:00.000-07:00

---Michael Stone--- AudioPros.com ---

Sonar 7 Producer Edition is the latest upgrade from Cakewalk's line of Sonar music production software. I own and use Sonar 6 heavily in my personal music production for my personal cd and my jingle production for AudioPros.com

What we've done, and will do is assemble some of the tutorial videos, to let you look at the various aspects that the new Sonar 7 offers and whether or not it's for you.

If you're looking to create drum parts without the drummer, then you'll want to take a look at what we have to offer this time around.

First up is this excellent tutorial on creating program beats & lines with Sonar 7's Step Sequencer.

Program Beats & Lines with Sonar 7's Step Sequencer.

Sonar 7 Producer Edition runs around $499. It's pricey, but in my experience with Cakewalk products it's worth it, even if the learning curve is a little steep.

I'd rather spend that kind of money knowing I have MUCH MORE to learn than thinking, "Is that it?".

But if that price tag totally turns you off take a look at some other products from Cakewalk . I'll have more on those more affordable products and other tutorials that I dig up around the web to help you out in your decision making process, but also in the day to day basics of running these sometimes complex programs.

All the best.

--Michael Stone--
Singer-songwriter
Radio personality
--Observer--
AudioPros.com

Adobe Audition 3

2007-10-13T04:12:00.000-07:00

---Michael Stone---

Adobe Audition 3 production software is coming Oct. 29th.

Since Adobe bought Syntrillium, and with it Cool Edit, a few years back, the updates have been coming fairly regularly. With each update, Audition has improved features that bring it into serious competition with the likes of Sonar and Pro Tools.

Adobe Audition 3 is for the "sound designer, musician, recording engineer, mastering engineer, or other audiocentric professional who needs an all-in-one toolset for professional audio production."

Adobe offers another audio product, Soundbooth 3, which has fewer bells and whistles, perhaps for the less demanding producer, and at a less demanding price, but more on that later.

Adobe Audition 3 offers 50 real-time audio effects including echo, flange, reverb and others. It also supports ASIO, VST, DirectX, and ReWire.

They improved the mixing window, quick punch in reality there are far too many features for me to discuss here. I have Audition 2.0 and after taking a look at what they have to offer, I'm seriously considering the Adobe Audition 3-Upgrade. Will this replace Sonar 6 Producer for me, probably not, but there are times I can see projects that I may want to use this software for.

In fact Adobe has a pretty nifty features page that will give you a video demonstration on many of the features available. Take a look and decide if it's for you.

Watch the latest videos on YouTube.com

---Michael Stone---
Singer-songwriter
Radio Personality
---Observer---
AudioPros.com

Transposing music help

2007-10-12T05:03:00.001-07:00

---Michael Stone---

I dis-like doing covers when playing live. The bottom line is that I only want to play my originals.

Reality check here Michael.

If you want people to give your originals a listen, intersperse them with covers, especially in a bar-club scene.

So, off I go to find some covers that I like and can learn quickly for an upcoming club gig. I found several through some quick Google TAB searches and was off to learn them. That's when I realized they were too high for my vocal range. OK, time to sit down and transpose to my range.

Then I thought, hey is there a transposition tool online. Here I go a Googling, and sure enough, here it is; a transpositon tool online. Enter the chords and lyrics, tell it what key you'd like it in and presto, chango, you've got a transposed version of your song. Pretty cool, huh?

It''ll save you some time. Enjoy!

Michael Stone
Singer-songwriter
Radio personality
---Observer---

Sonar 7 Released

2007-10-05T13:48:00.001-07:00

--Michael Stone

Cakewalk has released Sonar 7 Producer.

I have been running with Sonar 6 Producer since it first came out. While, I'm far from expert using the program, I can highly recommend this great Cakewalk product.

Now when it come to using these powerful programs, you can be overwhelmed.

Scott Garrigus' Sonar 6 Power Guide is a great and very easy to underand step by step guide to learning these programs. I'm sure he has a new book in the works for

Another source for information on SONAR is Scott Anderton's reviews at Harmony Central.

You'll really get a good idea of what kind of creative output you can attain with these powerful programs.

All the best!

Michael Stone
Singer-songwriter
Radio personality
---Observer---

I've been using Sonar 6 Producer mainly for my music production, for my cd, "Inspired by a true story".

Multi-track recording capabilities, a MIDI functionality and great effects possibilities allow the user to create just about any soundscape you can imagine.

Here's a quick description from Cakewalk:

"Sonar 7 Producer. Edition offers a remarkable experience that excels at every step of your production-from its inspiring, open and customizable environment, to intuitive music creation and editing tools, to polished mixing, editing and delivery-with the recognized best audio quality in the industry.
"

Watch the latest videos on YouTube.com

Amazon gets into the digital download business

2007-09-26T05:04:00.000-07:00

--- Michael Stone

Amazon MP3 is Amazon's entry into the digital music business.

You can now download digital tunes with Amazon MP3 .

It's service has no DRM (digital rights management) which means the tunes can be copied and is compatible with Zune and Apple's I-Pod.

A quick look at Amazon's stock price this morning found it hovering around $95 a share. Five years ago you could buy Amazon stock for $15 a share.

Amazon MP3 will be a direct competitor to Apple's I-Tunes and is started with a price war, pricing most downloads a dime cheaper than the dominant music service.

Michael Stone
Singer-songwriter
Radio personality
---Observer---

Writing music across oceans-USA to Greece

2007-09-23T08:13:00.000-07:00

---Michael Stone

Our brave new world continues to amaze.

The Internet and the opportunities it offers now has touched my world through not only musical collaborations, but songwriting collaboration as well.

I'm speaking of a recent cooperative effort between myself and a new found Internet friend Dimitris Lio. He is a Greek singer-songwriter. We like many Internet friendships, developed completely by happenstance. Both of us had profiles on ShowCaseYourMusic.com. We shared a mutual admiration of each other's music and began some on line conversations over a period of time.

Fortunately for me Dimitris is fluent in English.

We discussed music and recently while discussing one of his latest we began discussing some new songs he had coming to his Myspace site. Leo asked me if I'd help him with some lyrics on "Free". At the same time we were discussing that, my song "Believe", and Dimitris offered to help by programming some drum parts.

So he sent me a finely produced piece of his music with some rough lyrics and a la la la, vocal track for melodic direction. The next thing I knew I had taken his thoughts and given them my voice. I then spoke the parts in rhythm to his produced music and now I can barely wait to hear his sing on "Free."

Now I'm eagerly anticipating his drum parts, and maybe bass too, for "Believe". I have every confidence that his efforts will be top notch, as everything I've heard from Dimitris has been excellent.

What a great way to spend my days. In a creative endeavour with a new found friend from across the seas.

Michael Stone gets a new toy!

2007-09-21T05:31:00.001-07:00

---Michael Stone

As an independent musician and proponent of others chasing the dream, I'm always looking for new ways to promote the artist and the music.

Reverbnation seems to be a site that has a great and innovative team of developers.

I already liked their music players that artists can install on their pages. Their show schedules widget with maps is outstanding, and now they've combined many of their features into one all encompassing widget.

Here's how they describe it:

The widget features a customizable picture, band info, music player loaded with your songs, a video, show schedule (with tour map), "join the mailing list" Fan Collector, and more. You can also cross-promote other artists at the bottom of the widget. These artists are pulled from the list of artists you recommend, and rotated randomly. Great for helping out our artists.This is a great way for artists to spread themselves and their music across the web via blogs, other web pages and their own home page.

I highly recommend it.

Take a look at it below and click around.

All the best!

-Michael Stone-

UPDATE .... Hmmmm...... It seems that the widget has a "loading" problem. I've contacted Reverbnation and will leave this up for a while "as is" to see what they can tell me, I'll let you know what they say.... I swear it's a cool deal. As with all of these things there seem to be bugs....

UPDATE TO THE UPDATE: After getting a note from Robert Hubbard (see comments) of Reverbnation (yes they actually responded. I like these guys) For whatever reason when I copy the code, it was dropping the artist ID. FIXED! Check it out...

ANOTHER UPDATE....Now I've found that my video isn't showing through the widget. In fact, it says that this artists has no video. So I've got another note into the folks at Reverbnation. Additonally, I've just uncovered another bug in how the widget displays in Igoogle. In Firefox it continuously reloads the page and creates a long downward scrolling, while in Explorer it displays partially cut off on the sides..

UPDATE 9/24/2007----9:30 am
EXCELLENT!

Robert dropped a comment, the video problem has been resolved. All in all a great experience with the members of the Reverbnation staff!!.... APPLAUSE!!!

Opening for Karla Bonoff-The good, the bad and the funny!

2007-09-15T05:03:00.000-07:00

--Michael Stone

A perfect night, despite it's imperfections.

That's how I might describe last night's show. I was the opening act for Karla Bonoff at The Rialto Theater in Loveland, Colorado.

Broken strings, a warm audience and continuance of my musical resurrection, made my performance truly memorable.

No matter how often I perform I get the jitters. Last night was no exception. I went into the performance with some trepidation, because I was nursing a sore throat.

And if ever there was a time I wanted to get it all right on stage, last night was the night. Hometown crowd, first major act I've performed with in ages. It had all the making for a perfect (or nerve wracking) evening.

The sound check was uneventful. In fact, the sound in the intimate confines of The Historic Rialto theater is phenomenal, both on the stage as a performer, and in the audience as a listener.

So when it came time to start the show, it was a self intro. No emcee, so I just walked out introduced myself and started into "TODAY." As with much of what I play it is an athletic song, both on guitar and vocally. I felt it went well and received a very warm reception from the audience, considering most had never heard me and were obviously there for Karla Bonoff.

I then proceeded with more of my set, going into the ballad, "Will you Stay", then over to the piano for "Blue Eyed Friend."

All in all, I was very pleased with the way things were going. Exactly as planned. All the songs in order, just as we had jotted them down on a napkin while doing lunch at The Village Inn earlier in the day.

With the progression of the program moving nicely I picked up my guitar with some athletic guitar riffs, to fire off a rendition of "I still remember", when Boiinnnng!

Yep, broken guitar string.

Remember I told you how great the sound is in the Rialto. It's especially resonant when a phosphorus-bronze blended G string decides to head south.

So here I am, guitar in hand, broken string, a house full of eager listening patrons of the arts and I'm frozen in time. What kept going through my mind was that I had my backup Ovation Acoustic all bundled ready for the travel to the Rialto, in case of just an eventuality, and forgot it.

Time to punt!

So while I'm going through a million scenarios in my mind, ranging from fleeing, like a musical refugee from the stage, to breaking into an inconsolable Britney Spears style breakdown.

I even considered a quick fall to my knees, and a power prayer to request divine intervention, and a time continuum shift back about 3 minutes to just before the string incident.

It was at the moment as I moved to the piano that heard what I thought was the voice of God coming through my monitor speakers.

"Dennis will change your string".

What? was I hallucinating, hearing voices?

No, it was Scott the sound man at The Rialto. Dennis his assistant would come up and change my string. Wow, I'm moving up in the world. I now have a roadie!

So off I go to the piano for "Stranger" , which was to be my closer. It's a strong powerful ballad and I thought it would be fitting to end the show here. But remember, I'm in punt mode right now. So "Stranger" on the piano it is, to buy some guitar string changing time.

After the song Dennis brings me the guitar and my tuner with these words, "You might need to do some tuning". A truer set of words has never been said. Apparently during the changing of the string and the subsequent attempts at tuning, Dennis had adjusted other strings unknowingly. It's easy to do, if you don't know the guitar. All those tuning pegs aren't always in the same place.

Punting, part deux.

So while attempting to talk to 400 plus people and keep them entertained, and tune a horribly out of tune guitar by ear, I could hear the building roar of the collapse of that musical resurrection I referred to earlier.

But all went well, the audience was extremely understanding and apparently entertained by my mishap. All in all it made for a nice ice breaker.

I wouldn't take the moment back for anything in the world. So, God, forget that turn back the time continuum prayer please. I'll get back to you at a more important time.

Michael Stone
Singer-songwriter
Radio personality
---Observer---

9/11 - A broadcaster's memory

2007-09-11T04:12:00.001-07:00

By Michael Stone

The image of 9/11 that is emblazoned in my mind is not the falling of the twin towers or the pictures of the planes on that brilliant sunny day.

My earliest and most vivid 9/11 memory is words on a computer screen. There was a foreboding sense that this wasn't going to be a normal day on the radio.

My AP wire first revealed that a plane had crashed in one of the towers of the World Trade Center. As with many news stories, the flashes were a little confused. Was it a small plane? Was it a larger plane? At first glance, it seemed like it was yet another tragedy in the daily flood of news that comes into our studio.

As the details trickled in, I started to get a feeling in my gut that this was not a normal aviation disaster, but something more, even though there was no real indication in the initial reports of the enormity of what was really happening - yet.

Then the words came across the AP bulletin with a flash about a 2nd plane. It was at that instant that I knew this was a terrorist attack.

We instantly went into overload, trying to get more information to broadcast. Even though we're an entertainment program on a music station, we knew that we had to get this information out.

We had to try to understand these events just as everyone else was. We needed to process the information and try to make sense of it. The difference was that we were doing it in a very public manner.

We instantly turned into a talk radio station, reporting what we could find out from news wires, websites, TV's tuned to every station we could.

We were fielding hundreds of calls from listeners asking what was going on, telling us what was going on, just trying to understand how something so horrible could happen. And on purpose.

This was no act of God, no earthquake, no, this was a man made calamity of the worst sort.

Evil in it's truest form.

The radio station almost immediately began a simulcast with one of our sister stations. Four people on the air trying to make some sense of an unexplainable situation. Between us there was over 100 years of broadcast experience, but for whatever reason I felt like a rookie that day. Unable to ever quite say what I thought needed to be said.

In the back of my mind I knew there would be thousands of people in those buildings and that right now, so many of them were going through the ultimate hell.

People were dying as I was speaking. That reality was a cruel twist to the profession I have chosen and love. It gave me a sick feeling in my gut.

I felt such a responsibility to do this right. To broadcast with a sense of importance beyond anything that I had ever experienced before.

At one point during those hectic moments, we took a mental break. The on air crew gathered outside the station on what was a gorgeous sunny morning. I couldn't help but think that this is what it looked like and felt like in New York on that morning.

We held hands. We prayed. It was all we could do.

Then we went back to our broadcast and picked up where we left off.

Then came the words that I can't get out of my mind. The AP bulletin was short, but I knew what it meant.

"Tower number one has fallen".

I can still see those words in my mind's eye. A building the size of the World Trade Center had collapsed? That was tantamount to some cataclysmic astronomical event.

As I tried to process that piece of information and continue the broadcast I knew it was going to be a long day and that the world as we knew it, would never be the same again.

Internet Overload

2007-09-09T08:27:00.001-07:00

By: Michael Stone

It's there on my taskbar. Beckoning to me. Come search the world for information. It's my Google search bar. Or maybe it's Yahoo for you. It doesn't matter. It's there drawing us in and once we've made the cyber jump, there's no turning back!

I recently heard a story about (insert topic here), in my case it was , making your own cheese. I decided to "Google" info on that so maybe I could pursue the old world tradition and feel like I had a connection with my ancestors.

The first mistake I made was to use the word Google as a verb, an action, something that needed to be done!

So off I go and you know what happens next, pretty soon your investigating the origins of cheese making in the Khazak highlands with goat herders.

Every time this happens to me, I swear I won't be drawn into the Internet web of information overload. What an anemic attempt by me to resist the addictive nature of the Internet.

There is a reason they call it "THE WEB". You can't get out once you're in!

I've read recently they now have support groups started to "help" those of us thusly addicted.

So what's next? Library addiction support groups?

Isn't that what the Internet is? A wild and unfettered library of information with no end, but that of human kind's knowledge?

It's one addiction I can live with.....................Does anyone have some newly squeezed goat milk?

All the best!
Michael Stone
Radio personality
Singer-songwriter
----Observer----

Michael Stone opens for Karla Bonoff Sept. 14th

2007-09-05T19:18:00.000-07:00

This is exciting. I've been asked to open for Karla Bonoff Sept. 14th at The Rialto Theater in Loveland, Colorado.

The show starts at 7:30 pm. I'll be doing a set of originals to preview my upcoming CD "Inspired by a true story". I hope to see you there. Questions? Email me!

Michael Stone-Singer-Songwriter

Back from Florida

2007-08-31T04:49:00.001-07:00

Florida was nice. Hot, but nice! But, it's a wet heat.

After spending some time on the road and encountering United flight delays both coming and going I'm thrilled to back in my Colorado.

I was able to spend time with my parents which was a thrill and they were able to meet My Rebecca, my fiancee for the first time.

While I was on vacation an MP3 theft site was shut down. I was thrilled and will have more on that to follow.

I also have some new articles on voice tracking for radio, audio production techniques using Sonar 6 and others in the pipeline. I hope you'll pop back in from time to time.

All the best!

Michael Stone
Radio personality
Singer-songwriter
----Observer----

Michael Stone hits the road!

2007-08-17T06:11:00.000-07:00

Hey I need a vacation too.

But, the daily free show prep will return for you on 8/27/2007.

In the interim why not take a look through the archives. There's some gems in them there pages.

I'd like to get you up to speed on some other features we offer at AudioPros.com.

We've got radio business news, engineering news from Broadcast Engineering. Friday Morning Quarterback provides what's up in the biz headlines. Then finally if you're an audio fanatic, into plug ins and software news for recording check out this page. It's packed with updates.

Of course you'll find voiceover and jingle services as well. Then there are our plethora of Amazon stores with everything the radio and AudioPro needs. Recording Software Hardware Keyboards Mixers Microphones AudioPros Books Accessories AudioPros Radio store AudioProsRadioBOOKS ShowPrep ARCHIVE RadioandProduction

You can also find articles on Independent Music, radio, audio and some humor on my BLOG. I hope you'll take a minute to visit. And would it kill ya to click on our sponsors? :)

I did get a new laptop, so you may see an update or two coming through.

Thanks for visiting AudioPros.com and enjoy the week.

Michael Stone
Radio Personality
Singer-Songwriter
---Observer---

Never alone on the radio

2007-08-11T07:35:00.000-07:00

By Michael Stone

I wrote this while alone in my radio station. It's early morning and I just went deep into the recesses of the station for a cup of coffee, and something struck me.

I really enjoy that strangely lonely, quiet, but noisy, solitude that I get in a radio station.

I realize that this may sound strange, but having spent the better of my life wandering radio station halls, I became cognizant of a unique solace I get, while in the confines of these electrified buildings.

There have been countless times over the years when I have been the only one in a radio station.

When I first started in radio as a teen it was inevitable; I would be on the overnight shift, on a weekend. Whenever the phone rang, chances are it was a tired, lonely soul in need of a comforting voice.

A recent event helped me realize how that simple fact of us being there, in the middle of the night, on an early morning with the sun just rising , or during a violent storm. Those moments of unique solitude in people's lives when that disembodied voice becomes a friend, a confidante of sorts.

Recently, I was forced to put down my dog, Shadow. He had been a faithful companion from puppydom through 17 long years. This traumatic event in my life revealed to me the extent of my and my listeners personal connection.

My morning partner mentioned the facts on the air. That quick mention touched off a firestorm of emails and calls from listeners expressing sympathy. The volume and the personal nature of the communications shocked me.

I was completely overwhelmed.

These were not quick, hey sorry to hear about your dog, notes. They were well thought out attempts to communicate with me on an individual level. Some were so touching they brought me to tears all over again.

Never did I quite understand the depth of the personal connection I've been allowed to foster with this group of individuals we call the listeners, the audience. Grouping them together with little thought to the uniqueness of each person.

So as I wander these empty halls, that seem so quiet and so lonely sometimes, I'm reminded of a larger purpose, even mission, that I embarked on, unbeknownst to me, those 35 years ago. To communicate and treat all my fellow beings on the planet with respect.

So I guess the message here, is that this quiet place of solitude and reflection, isn't that quiet after all. These radio halls are filled with the countless voices reverberating through the air waves and ages communicating that little piece of humanness we all need.

Michael Stone
Radio personality
Singer-songwriter
---Observer---

Don't GIVE the music away-Don't EXPECT everything for free!

2007-08-11T02:23:00.000-07:00

From Michael Stone (disclosure:I also do a radio show on SongPlanet)

The adage, you get what you pay for rings in my head these days.

There are so many Independent artists giving away music, it is disheartening. Those who would give away their labours of love, seem to be under the mistaken belief that this will somehow bring success.

I see it just the opposite.

It devalues them, indie artists across the planet and leaves a lasting impression on many that music has no value.

I am thrilled to say there is one Independent Music site, that I know of, that is taking a new stance.

SongPlanet.com has come up with a new and unique idea, at least in today's world of Independent Music Sites. There are NO MORE FREE giveaways of music. Even if you, as an artist, want to give away you music, SongPlanet.com will not be a party to the devaluation of our shared artistic worth.

Bravo!

The idea is so basic and understandable, I can't believe it's not more widespread , or that I didn't even think of it.

Artists who utilize the SongPlanet.com site will be asked if they want to sell their music. The FREE DOWNLOAD option will no longer exist. If you don't want to "sell" your music, the download proceeds, via Paypal.com, will go to the artists OR be donated to a charitable cause. Artists can still "offer" free downloads. But why not, at the very least, donate to a worthy charitable cause?

Here's how SongPlanet.com put's in the the Songster Newsletter:
-------------------------------
"Effective August 20th, all new songs uploaded to SongPlanet.com must be 192kbps versions, and will automatically be made available for digital download song sales on SongPlanet.com. We're going to ensure that if someone hears your tune on SongPlanet Radio, they have the opportunity to purchase a high quality version of the song."
-------------------------------
How cool is that!

Listeners BUYING Independent music, if they want a song in their personal collection of digital downloads. They can enrich (sic) the artist or help a charitable cause. In my estimation, this is a win win situation for the artist, the music lover, the charities involved and Independent-Unsigned musicians as a whole!

This simple and brilliant plan returns worth to the music that we all love. The music that is produced through the blood, sweat and tears of many nameless, faceless musicians who give because they love to create. They in fact can't stop creating.

OK so there are some hardcore's who don't want to "sell" their music for a variety of reasons. Here's the SongPlanet.com solution:
-----------------------------
"We know that there are a few artists who strongly object to selling their music and others who say they can't because of commitments with their Indie labels. We think we have a solution! We'll be asking you to provide a PayPal-friendly email address so that we can send you any revenues that you earn. It can be your own address, your Indie label's, a favorite charity or cause, or even your Uncle Joe's addy, if you like."
-----------------------------
Don't you believe they should receive some sort of reward for that effort? I do.

Please reward SongPlanet.com for this by visiting and if you feel so inclined, purchasing music from your favorite artists on the site. There are some GREAT acts who have chosen to upload their music.

This is not meant to be an endorsement of a site that I receive no money from, though I do have an artist account there.

It CAN BE construed as an endorsement for, what I believe, is a forward looking policy by this site.

So if you're an artist or if you're a listener, visit SongPlanet.com

Michael Stone
Radio Personality
Singer-Songwriter
----Observer----

Fingers crossed for MixPosure

2007-08-10T16:06:00.001-07:00

By: Michael Stone

Perhaps I'm hoping against hope. But...I really, like many others want to give Mixposure another chance..

Let me update those who may be unaware.

Mixposure is an Independent Music, Online Music Distribution site. (OMD) This site has had numerous problems over the last months if not a full year. First the site was down for quite a while. We've been told, because of Turkish hackers.

Beyond that, Mixposure had not updated fairly basic elements of it's content for quite a while, prior to it's demise.

I recently made a visit to the forums, following it's latest resurrection, posting a message asking for an explanation, especially for those of us who are paying members. The following is a post that followed my inquiry.
-----------------------------------

Hi all,
Apologies for the recent downtime and unfortunately you can expect one more (brief) outage within the next week or so. As stated; Mixposure is not quite officialy "open" yet and currently the server is still being re-configured to coincide with the most recent email and forum upgrades. The final outage will be to transfer all data and wipe the OS clean and then we should be golden for quite awhile. I'm happy to say that the site is running smoother than it ever has right now, and there are still plenty of upgrades on the way. Once we go live there will be an email sent out to every member which will explain how downtime will affect your billing cycles. I can assure you that it will be more than fair.
Thank you for your patience, we're almost there!
Kyle
---------------------------------

So there it is, you know what I know.

I always find it interesting how many Mixposure artists just act like, thank God it's back, with no recriminations at all, just thanks that it's returned , comments like:
---------------------------------
"Good news Oz...every time the lights flicker i'll admit it's scary. There's no place like home!"......."

.....Thanx Kyle,
It's always a relief to get an update on your progress, that last outage had me squirming for days, jonesing for Mixposure!"
---------------------------------
One can't help but wonder if these folks are those who have no real money invested. Personally, I will tale Kyle and Mixposure at their word for now.
----------------------------------
"Once we go live there will be an email sent out to every member which will explain how downtime will affect your billing cycles. I can assure you that it will be more than fair.
----------------------------------
But as I've said before, patience is wearing thin, and I can't help but think that even the most hardcore Mixposure fan might think twice about the site, following what has occurred during the past year or so.

Michael Stone
Radio Personality
Singer-Songwriter
----Observer----
AudioPros.com

Audio mastering-Make your music sound great!-Use a pro

2007-08-09T15:54:00.001-07:00

From Michael Stone

When it comes to making a difference in your music and feeling good about it next to ANY other piece of produced audio out there, mastering is the essential final step.

So what is mastering?

If you're new to the concept, here's a basic description. It's the process whereby your music, after recording and mixing, is sonically tweaked using EQ, compression and other skills and tools of the trade, to enhance and bring out all the best aspects, of that great music you're producing.

Mastering is some thing that takes top flight equipment, in the hands of skilled artisans in a room acoustically designed to hear every little nuance of a song.

This is not something that a low to medium end digital plus in is going to accomplish no matter how good your ears. Besides, it's to your sonic advantage to have a totally unbiased and objective ear on the job.

I guarantee when you hear an A-B comparison of your music done with pro mastering you will be absolutely blown away. Go here to listen to some before - after samples and I think you'll get an idea.

If you've never had any experience in mastering you should leave it to the pros to ensure a great product.

So you're thinking, hey, I'm a small Indie artist-Band, we can't afford the big guys.

First there are many mastering house some good, some not so good. Shop around ask for samples. But also, many do offer discounts on Indie artists and will offer package deals on mastering especially if it's an entire CD project.

I recently ran into a series of interviews on starter mastering on MusicIndustryNewsWire. The interview is with Art Sayecki of Art Mastering.

I think these interviews go a long way to help the Indie Musician understand Mastering and what you should and should be considering. You'll find the four part series here:
Mastering-Part 1
Mastering Part 2
Mastering Part 3
Mastering Part 4

Enjoy ! All the best!

Michael Stone
Radio Personality
Singer-Songwriter
----Observer----
AudioPros.com

Illegal download enabling-The debate

2007-08-06T15:16:00.001-07:00

From Michael Stone

In response to one of my posts concerning web sites that allow individuals an illegal hack into Myspace and others., I've received quite a bit of feeback. I thought I would gather much of it together here.

8 Comments Leave a comment.

On July 19, 2007 at 6:00 am Bobby Simmoms Said: Edit This
This application is clearly not illegal in any way, the owner even makes users agree to a terms of use letting you know not to download illegally. Also the fact that myspace makes the files public and not protected shows fault on their part. It clearly states that it is for testing purposes and not for illegal use; that leaves the responsibility with the user.
On July 19, 2007 at 11:45 am Michael Stone Said: Edit This
Hello Bobby…
You state the owner of the website: “states that it is for testing purposes and not for illegal use; that leaves the responsibility with the user.”
Enabling is enabling! They are clearly providing a way for people to do something ILLEGAL. I don’t think there is any gray area just because they publish a disclaimer.
Thanks for your comment!
Michael Stone.
On July 19, 2007 at 5:57 pm Zack Said: Edit This
Check these this out :
http://myspacemp3.org
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/3006
http://www.eches.net/myspace-music
On July 19, 2007 at 10:22 pm Michael Stone Said: Edit This
Zach’s comment-post above proves to be extremely disheartening to anyone who believes in right and fairness.
His unveiling of even more PURE THEFT sites is troubling. If you steal my music (download it without my permission) YOU are a thief, pure and simple.
If I have the resources or find the resources I will hunt ya down.
It is very disappointing to think that so many people think that to download something they don’t own is OK.
There really needs to be a new mindset to take hold on the web.
Michael Stone
On August 6, 2007 at 11:44 am chemical mike Said: Edit This
There are two camps on this issue. One camp holds the idea that the music should be free, the other camp believes that they should be paid for it. Me personally, I think theres room for both, and with a simple change in the law both sides could be appeased. Here’s my proposal; The law should be changed so that artists are given a ‘grace period’ of ‘X’ amount of year/s before the material can be legally up/downloaded for free by anyone. After the grace period, the material would be available for free. Any site that breaks this ‘covenant’ would be liable for damages, penalties, and face an immediate shutdown of their site. The offending downloader should take some legal responsibility as well, such as the cost of the material, plus a fine or community service. I would also reccomend an amnesty for past offences before the law is changed. After all the industry is equally to blame for the mess it is in as those out there who are downloading.
This would allow the artists and record companies time to gain the revenue they rightly deserve for their hard work. This way a compromise is made, and everyone gets what they want. The artists gets paid, the record company gets paid and everyones happy on that side of the coin. Granted they would take a loss when the songs are released for free, but this loss would not be as great as it is for them now under the present system. A And giving your music away for free will only serve to make the fans happy as well as further promote the band. We all love a good bargain.
And us cheap-scates would still get our songs for free. We would just have to wait a bit longer. And considering how we would be getting the material for free, I dont thing that having to wait a little while for it is too much to ask.
On August 6, 2007 at 12:15 pm Michael Stone Said: Edit This
Hey chemical mike…
In many past posts I have argued against artists giving away their music. I just think it devalues all independent artists and their music.
Should they have the right to give it away? Certainly.
Should it be enshrined in law that after a period of time it should automatically be available for free? I’m much more reticent on that matter.
You mention a period of years. How many? One ? Two? Five? 15?
Or should it be for the life of the creator plus 50 as in copyright law. I would choose to err on the side of the latter.
It is MY creation, no one else’s, and I, and my heirs should reap any (if any benefits, and no one else, unless I, (the creator) deem it appropriate.
Thanks for your comments. All the best!
Michael Stone
On August 6, 2007 at 4:40 pm chemical mike Said: Edit This
Before I write about this topic at length, I would like to remind everyone of the growing number of independant artists, myself included, which are willingly giving out their songs for free. Please support them by downloading their songs.
Thanks.
There are two camps on this issue. One camp holds the idea that the music should be free, the other camp believes that they should be paid for it. Me personally, I think theres room for both, and with a simple change in the law both sides could be appeased.
Here’s my proposal, and I think this system could be used for movies as well. I hope it isn’t too much of a pill to swallow for anyone;
The law should be changed so that artists are given a ‘grace period’ of ‘X’ amount of time BEFORE the material can be legally up/downloaded for FREE by anyone. After the grace period, the material would THEN be available for free up/download, but ONLY under a FREE OF CHARGE agreement between the site providing the music and the artist or record company. A simple permission form could be posted on the artist/record companies site for all to sign up to.
This would restore control in favor of the artist/record label over the material while at the same time allowing people to get the music for free.., And by setting this legal precident; PERMISSION BECOMES A LEGAL (AND BINDING?) REQUIRMENT TO POST MUSIC!! The agreement should state that the ‘uploader’(the website providing the music)agrees to provide PROMINENT links to the artist site AND record label page which supplies the material and details of the ‘grace period’, as well as agreement to abide by the ‘grace period’, in return for permission to provide the music. The artist/label would retain the right to remove content that does not conform to the ‘grace period’.
It would be the ‘uploaders’(the content provider) responsibility to ensure that the material they offer complies with the ‘grace period’. The ‘grace period’ would begin a full working week or more, BEFORE the release of the material, so that the artist or record company has time to declare its intent to release on a certain date, and make the public aware that the material is subject to the ‘grace period’ from that date, and is not for free release until the ‘grace period’ is over. Failure on the artists/labels part to do this, would result in the material being exempt from the ‘grace period’. Failure to comply on the ‘uploaders’ part with songs under the ‘grace period’, would result in prosecution.
The record label or artist would be responsible for providing details of its release date, as well as when the ‘grace period’ ends, preferrably on THEIR site. The ‘uploader’ would also link to or provide on site this information by law, so the ‘downloader’,(thats the ‘customer’) is made aware of its status. This also lets the downloader know whether he is stealing a song or not, and legally responsible for their up/download. The downloader should be made aware of the materials ‘grace period’ status, and because the permission details are released by the artist/record label they(the downloaders) should have a legal (and moral) obligation to verify that the song is compliant with the ‘grace period’. Any person or company that breaks this ‘covenant’ would be liable for damages and court costs, and most importantly, face an immediate shutdown of their site.
If neccesary, the site admin or company could be compelled legally to not use a computer or be forbidden to trade on the internet, and face jail time and/or fines if he/she does. They used to do(still do?) that to hackers, so why not do it to them too? It is them who make the material available to the public online, and it is them who should take most of the blame for providing so much illegal content to the masses..Thats just my opinion, your entitled to yours too.
The offending downloader should take some legal responsibility as well, such as the cost of the material, plus a small fine or community service per offence under this system. However, I would also recommend a ‘blanket’ amnesty up to the date that the law is changed for whats already been downloaded. Otherwise the litigation would just take years and years and probably be expensive for both sides, not to mention difficult to prosecute.
Under the system I am proposing, artists/record companies have time to gain the revenue they rightly deserve for their hard work. This way a compromise is made, and everyone gets what they want. The artists gets paid, the record company gets paid and everyones happy. Granted they may take a loss when the songs are released for free,(read on, theres a happy ending.)but this loss would not be as great as it is for them now under the present system. And giving your music away for free will only serve to make the fans happy as well as further promote the interest in the band. We all love a good bargain.
And ‘downloaders’ would still get music for free. We would just have to wait a bit longer. And considering how we would be getting the material for free, I dont thing that having to wait a little while longer for it is too much to ask.
This system even has the potential to create record and merchandise sales for the shops. Because of the reintroduction of the song at the end of the ‘grace period’, it would reawaken some interest in the music. Record labels could offer more merchandising around that period, offers, tickets, vouchers usable with their next purchase,not to mention promoting the next album along side,making the artist and label more money, raising the bands profile, and thereby turning their lemons into lemonade. Sweet!
And if thats not a good enough suggestion heres one more; Put a blanket ban on all music sites, and that goes for the torrent sites as well!! If it doesnt come directly from the over-priced record shop, you don’t get it, unless you pay their rip off prices,or copy it off onto CD or tape from one of your mates.The masses would do well to remember those days, you know what I’m talking about? But then again,these days we still do the same thing, but we copy it onto computer instead. And we have lots more friends…And the industry would do well to remember THAT.
Personally though, I think compromise is better because everyone wins. Think about it.
Peace
On August 6, 2007 at 10:07 pm Michael Stone Said: Edit This
chehmical mike…
Again, thank you for your input and I think everyone would do well to read and then re-read your ideas as it regards a change in the law regarding music downloads on the web.
Although, I do disagree with some of what you’ve said, I do like the main thrust of your argument. COMPROMISE.
It would serve the music industry and the artist well if there were legislation that allowed for the legal downloading of music and the punishing of the sites and the illegal downloader.
That’s been my point in trying to expose these sites that are “enabling” music theft and then saying; “Hey, we told them not to do anything illegal with our technology.”
What’s the point of their technology hacks if not to rip off others?
A disclaimer does not excuse anyone involved in such activity.
If YOU, want to GIVE away your music, that’s your right. The same as it’s my right to fight this illicit theft of my intellectual property, and creation.
Great to have you keep this debate alive.
All the best!
Michael Stone
Radio Personality
Singer-Songwriter
----Observer----

Independent Music-A look @ Songplanet

2007-08-06T03:09:00.001-07:00

From Michael Stone
For the purposes of public disclosure it is important for you to know that I do an on air show on SongPlanet.com, 3 days a week.My show is called Indie X-Posure and I do it for NO money at all, simply for the pleasure of experiencing such a wealth of new music. I do receive a Pro Artist account as a benefit of doing the program.

SongPlanet.com is not the first site that I signed up for but it has become one of my favorites. Some of the reasons:

Great community
Free basic account-15 MB
VERY affordable Pro accounts (lot's of variables)
CD sales
On line radio with live DJ's
GREAT customer service
A nifty widget to put on your desktop for the radio shows.

At SongPlanet.com you'll find a bunch of like minded individuals who love Indie music and all that it stands for. the community is generally speaking very active, cordial and full of characters. It isn't as unwieldy as other forums I've run into (Soundclick) and the caliber of musical talent is top notch. I've never experienced mean or demeaning behavior in this community, though there have been spirited debates.

There are a many varied number of Pro Artist accounts available, the start as low as $10 PER YEAR. That is unheard of in this field. I would take a look at the accounts available. You can sell your music easily through Paypal and SongPlanet.com recently added an affiliation with CD Baby for those who are already selling their music through this great Indie artist site.

I'm a big fan of SongPlanet.com and that's why I joined the radio side of the site as well.

I have many other sites, I support just as heartily. I'll be digging into each of those to give you, the artists and/or listeners a little peek into what has quickly become a wide variety of excellent sites to expose and hopefully help you sell and find great music from the unsigned artists who populate this diverse world of music.

Michael Stone
Radio Personality
Singer-Songwriter
----Observer----

"This account has been suspended"

2007-08-05T06:20:00.001-07:00

From Michael Stone

The error messages on Mixposure are getting tiresome. It's difficult to maintain an optimistic attitude when a site goes down this many times n a row.

I, for one was ready to give this Independent Music Site the benefit of the doubt. First, we were told Turkish hackers had taken the site down. After months of nothing, then there were rumblings of it's return and sure enough Mixposure returned.

Then many of the same things that had bothered me about the site for quite a while were still there. A stagnant front page, frozen stats, and a broken review system, one of the better features of the site, not to mention it's great visual interface.

Problem here is that paying members continue to be in the dark.

The first true rumblings of dissent and resignation have started to surface in some forums about the future of this site. There are many who flat out are turning to Soundclick, SongPlanet.com, Broadjam and others as their Indie Music sites of choice.

Many, have been very patient with the status quo for a while, but patience is clearly wearing thin.

Having run websites for years , I've never encountered this many problems with my own and can't quite understand what the problem could be, other than one person is trying to do this project on their own when it's clearly become bigger than that.

Unfortunately, if it's not fixed quickly, and the disgruntled paying customers grievances not properly addressed, I fear that Mixposure will quickly become a relic in the on line world of Independent music.

Michael Stone
Radio Personality
Singer-Songwriter
----Observer----

Are you stealing music? The thievery sites!

2007-07-19T16:21:00.001-07:00

By Michael Stone

In so many ways, I had hoped this era on the web had passed. On line music theft.

Can I say this? If you are one of the thieves, you're taking from the poor. You are NOT a modern day Robin Hood. Nope, most musicians are poor and have poured their souls, and hard earned money, into their passion. Their music.

Then here come the music criminals who think it's ok to illegally steal the results of their enterprising souls.

Bad web surfer! Bad! (said in a stern talking to tone)

I actually had someone say to me, "You should be honored" that someone would want to download (STEAL) my music.

Gee; thanks?

So; I had a comment posted that revealed a number of other sites that allow for the illegal download of material.

Every one of these site owners and code writers and those who support them should be sued into the dark ages.

It's difficult for me to come up with the words to describe the level of disgust with those who create these sites (and code) and then the disappointment with those who would utilize this ILLEGAL method of downloading music.

Either way, my leverage is the hope these writings, my radio shows affect some, and my sense, and belief that people really are genuinely better than this. Call me a Pollyanna, but I believe that right and good will prevail. (and Pigs can fly, right?)

These writings have seen a HUGE increase in traffic since I first published this story. I can only hope it's not more people looking for yet another free way to rip off others.

Carpe Diem!

Michael Stone
Radio Personality
Singer-Songwriter
----Observer----
AudioPros.com

MYSPACE.COM ILLEGAL DOWNLOADS-Call to action

2007-07-18T17:39:00.001-07:00

Do you have a My Space site?
It's EASY to illegally download YOUR MUSIC here;
http://Myspacevalley.com/
TAKE ACTION: Here's what I've done:

PLEASE join me in OUTING thiefs...Sent to Abuse@Bluehost.com
--------------------
Dear Sirs;
You company is currently hosting a web site that is VIOLATING USA and INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT law.
http://myspacevalley.com/
This site is CLEARLY allowing the ILLEGAL download of copyrighted material from Myspace.com.
This technology and practice are clearly illegal.
Your continued hosting of this site borders on collusion in illegal activity.
Please explain and inform is, the wider community, of Independent Musicians your plan of action.

Michael Stone
AudioPros.Com
Michael Stone Music.com
AudioPros.BlogSpot.Com

Fruther details of this ILGEAL ACTIVITY HERE:

Registrar Name....: BlueHost.Com
Registrar Whois...: whois.bluehost.com
Registrar Homepage: http://www.bluehost.com/
Domain Name: MYSPACEVALLEY.COM
Created on..............: 2006-07-25 22:14:18 GMT
Expires on..............: 2008-07-25 22:14:18 GMT
Last modified on........: 2007-07-18 00:06:05 GMT
Registrant Info: (FAST-12861188)
Ben Fleet
1448 Vance Rd. Ste. B-10
Chattanooga, Tennessee 37421
United States
Phone: +1.4238997284
Fax..: +1.8017651992
Email: awesome_aims@yahoo.com
Last modified: 2007-07-17 16:59:18 GMT
Administrative Info: (FAST-12861188)
Ben Fleet
1448 Vance Rd. Ste. B-10
Chattanooga, Tennessee 37421
United States
Phone: +1.4238997284
Fax..: +1.8017651992
Email: awesome_aims@yahoo.com
Last modified: 2007-07-17 16:59:18 GMT
Technical Info: (FAST-12785240)
Attn: myspacevalley.com
C/O BlueHost.Com Domain Privacy
1215 North Research Way
Suite #Q 3500
Orem, Utah 84097
United States
Phone: +1.8017659400
Fax..: +1.8017651992
Email: whois@bluehost.com
Last modified: 2007-04-05 16:50:56 GMT
Status: Locked
Domain servers in listed order:
NS2.TEAMAWESOMEWEBS.COM
NS1.TEAMAWESOMEWEBS.COM

Mixposure Meltdown? Again!

2007-07-17T15:44:00.001-07:00

From Michael Stone

Hello Mixposure fans and patrons.

It's seems the web site has taking the big dive again. I can't tell you what's up, but here's what I got, 4:30 PM Mountain Time USA.

Warning: mysql_connect() [function.mysql-connect]: Too many connections in /home/dole50/public_html/inc/db.php on line 2
Warning: mysql_select_db(): supplied argument is not a valid MySQL-Link resource in /home/dole50/public_html/inc/db.php on line 3
Warning: mysql_query() [function.mysql-query]: Access denied for user 'root'@'localhost' (using password: NO) in /home/dole50/public_html/header.php on line 3
Warning: mysql_query() [function.mysql-query]: A link to the server could not be established in /home/dole50/public_html/header.php on line 3
Warning: mysql_fetch_assoc(): supplied argument is not a valid MySQL result resource in /home/dole50/public_html/header.php on line 4
Warning: mysql_num_rows(): supplied argument is not a valid MySQL result resource in /home/dole50/public_html/header.php on line 5

Return to index page

General Error

SQL ERROR [ mysqli ]
Too many connections [1040]
An sql error occurred while fetching this page. Please contact an administrator if this problem persists.

------------------------------------------------

It's been like this for a while. Also earlier today I was charged again for a renewal of membership. I had been unable to get into my admin page to change any settings, then the charge came through.

If you know of anything or run into anyone who has any idea what is really going on don't hesitate to contact me.

All the best!

Michael Stone
Radio Personality
Singer-Songwriter
----Observer----
AudioPros.com

O Say can you see..The mumbling masses

2007-07-14T20:54:00.001-07:00

: O' say can you see, the mumbling masses?

The recent advent of America's Independence Day celebration and all the attendant festivities, including the singing of our national anthem gave rise to reminiscences of an experience I had considered gone and forgotten.

Apparently not.

This would be my singing of the National Anthem recently at a sporting event.

It's not unusual for me to go along with the mumbling masses while working my way through this difficult composition. I, in fact, am actually robust in my vocalization of America's national pride expressed in song. Much to my friends and neighbors dismay. However, this is in a group setting, ensemble, a chorus of, shall we say, (and let's be kind) mediocre voices.

So, when I got the call last fall to sing the National Anthem at the opening of our local Professional Hockey Team's game, I was honored and terrified. It had been fifteen years since I'd last sung Francis Scott Key's musically athletic ditty in public. The last public outing was before a baseball game in Wichita Kansas. Could I remember phrases like "O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming!" ? I think I know what a rampart is, but how does it really relate in a world of X-Boxes and Starbucks.

To add to my tentative feelings of performing something so far in my past was the fact that they called me Thursday to sing the following night.

ONE DAY?

One day to re-learn the National Anthem! Oh sure, I THINK I know the lyrics, BUT one day! This is not the one time in my life I want to pull a Rosanne Barr. Out of tune, wrong lyrics with a quick crotch grab, just doesn't cut it anymore.

So off I go to the Internet, get the lyrics and proceed to sing it all the time, EVERYWHERE. Car, kitchen, shower, morning walk, evening walk, whilst enjoying the pleasure of the porcelain throne. Anywhere. I can not forget those words or invert them into some twisted phrase like; "through the perilous flight o'er the Ruperts we clocked the night light’s last gleaming".

Not only are there the lyrics, but there's the song itself. Likely the most difficult song on the planet to try to sing. This is no Oh Canada. Nope. One must possess operatic capabilities or at the very least Freddie Mercury of Queen vocal technique to work through this torturous composition.

My biggest fear is; "Rockets red glare". Very high for anyone. Aunt Betty used to break glass for miles and cause dogs to flee into the hills when those notes approached.

Not to worry. I had that figured out. Start the song LOW...Oh say can you see (bass notes apply here) and all is good. The "Rockets Red Glare" is nowhere near as difficult.

The night has arrived. No less than THREE attendants escort me to my queue position at the edge of the ice. Then I see them. SEVEN THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED screaming hockey fans. This is not your weekend badminton crowd. Nope they're expecting something.

The red carpet is rolled on to the ice. Me, all the time very lowly (bass notes) "Oh Say Can You See" to myself...La La La La... Keep it low at the start. Bass notes...Bass notes...

I tentatively step onto the red carpet, knowing that the slightest mis-step means I'm on a glacial surface capable of taking me out like a toothless defenseman. The intro, the bright lights in my eyes the crowd hushes and then I begin.

"Oh say can you see"

OH NO! NO! NO! Not me!

I've begun the song at least TWO full steps above my voices' acceptable tolerance level! Two full steps. That means when "Rockets Red Glare" shows up I'll be screeching like , oh don't even think it. Yes; Rosanne Barr at a Nationally televiised baseball game.

Funny how time slows down in panicky situations. All of the sudden fifty seconds seems like three hours of Alan Greenspan discussing MY checkbook.

But here it comes. "The Rockets Red Glare" ... By this time the knees are literally knocking. Just like you'd see in a cartoon. I can barely stand. It MUST be obvious. I could be be the driving force behind one of those jiggly weight loss machines.

Then, I realize, hey, I hit it. OK, it was a little strained, but "Rockets Red Glare" is now fading behind me and all that remains is "O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave". Nothing to me, a seasoned professional.

I'm done, the crowd goes wild, they love me. It must be me, not the fact that all the ceremony is FINALLY finished and the real reason they came , the game, is about to begin.

Lights out, attendants hold me up as I quiver and attempt to actually walk on legs that only moments before had been agitating like a washing machine in spin cycle. Great, they say, never knowing the near disaster that almost befell the opening of the Colorado Eagles Hockey game.

Michael
Michael's Original Music
Michael's Morning Show

Prince with the proverbial poke in the eye

2007-07-13T16:39:00.001-07:00

From Michael Stone

The Artists who won't be named decides to GIVE AWAY his latest CD in cooperation with an English tabloid.

Princes' latest anti music industry move might seem to some as yet another Independent act of artistic-musical rebellion.

I can't help but ask, what is the reason he would purposefully tell the music industry, record company, distributors and local record store owner, screw you?

Each and every one of these entities would have, or probably already have, invested in promoting the interests of Prince as an artist.

But instead, he seems to subscribe to the argument that those who brung you to the party don't need dancing with.

This proverbial poke in the eye to the very people who helped Prince achieve his enormous success is baffling. I can only speculate on his motives, but I can tell you that I believe, it is idiocy in it's finest form.---

--A few notes from the media---

LONDON -- Prince has angered the music industry and stirred up trouble among British retailers by giving away his new album with a tabloid newspaper this weekend.

"Planet Earth" will be packaged with the Mail on Sunday at a price of $2.80.

The giveaway has been roundly criticized as a major blow for an industry already facing rapidly declining CD sales. It has led Sony BMG U.K., Prince's local label, to pull the plug on its own sales release of the CD in Britain.

I believe they are right to cast every bit of blame on an artists whose genius I admire, but who's people skills are seriously lacking.

Prince seems to believe that his &*#% doesn't stink!

Come down to the real world and join us peons oh great one. ---

Paul Quirk, co-chairman of the Entertainment Retailers Association, said this; "It is an insult to all those record stores who have supported Prince throughout his career."

I couldn't agree more.

Feelings aside; it's still about business.

Perhaps Prince thinks his selling, uh GIVING away CD's, is great promotion.

I'm sure that those who get them for $2.80 along with their copy of the tabloid would agree.

But this is about the wider business of music to me and I would hope to all artists big, small, signed or unsigned.

I've really tired of artists giving away their music away. This undermines any and all artists. If people can get for free what should have a price tag, they'll never go back to buying. This can't be good for anyone who hopes to make a living as a musician or in any related industry. If the public at large gets used to the idea that music is something that should be free then those who provide the music from the depths of their souls may find it increasingly difficult to make a living.

The only musicians that survive may be those sitting on street corners, with guitar case open asking for coins. Oh wait that's already happening. Never mind.

So call this an open letter to Prince and other artists of note, who've MADE IT. Please; oh please, don't GIVE your music away. It devalues me and what I'm trying to accomplish.

Carpe Diem!
Michael Stone
Radio Personality
Singer-Songwriter
----Observer----
AudioPros.com

Let's get our music on radio-together

2007-07-11T19:16:00.001-07:00

From Michael Stone

Getting radio airplay for Independent-Unsigned artists is almost impossible.

There are a handful of stations that will play "some" Indie music, but to many of them, Indie means the unknown artist signed to a major label. Besides most of that airplay is next to meaningless, relatively speaking.

What difference does it make if you're being played on the radio if no one hears it?

The sound of one hand clapping or a tree falling in the forest. You get my drift.

So, I your humble scribe and long time radio personality on successful commercial stations, and also a struggling Indie artist like your self have bee thinking.

Whoa; stop the cart, let me off. A thinking radio guy?

Now I've seen ads for Airspun and the like. They offer ad buys on stations. Some of these services imply (but don't promise) that you'll get airplay on the stations purchased.

The likelihood of that actually happening is slim to none. Especially at successful commercial radio stations.

You know; the one's with the "listeners", and people with money in their pockets.

Here's the idea.

What if there were a COOP, a consortium of Indie artists, who banded together, pooled their resources and advertised together on mass appeal radio stations?

Would they sell their music?
Could they sell their music?
Would they want to sell their music?

I think the answer to each of the questions is a resounding YES!

I am toying with the idea to try as a pilot program here in the USA. 3 artists per :60 second commercial. Each with 1-2 songs featured along with web address on where to buy. here's some key goals:

VERY WELL produced spots.
Ad time on stations that matter, in dayparts with listeners

Rates on radio vary wildly, depending on market size, station ratings and available inventory. Try to buy Thanksgiving week, expect to pay a premium. Buy spots the week after New Years you can get a premium rate and saturate the airwaves.

Basic understanding of radio stations and how advertising works on those stations is essential. This is where I'm confident and excited about my own personal project and the ads I plan on buying on my own radio station.

I have one advantage that many don't have. I do a personality radio show and have a following. Hopefully, that will be to my benefit. Maybe not. "Oh here's that radio guy who thinks he can sing". I may arouse the cynic in listeners.

This is where I hope that I have the product that will draw an audience.

That being said it is important to market on the right format stations.

Again, this is what I do for a living. So I'm looking for ideas and potential like minded Indies who might have an interest in this grass roots approach to marketing to a mass appeal audience.

I'm also exploring and looking for the nuts and bolts fiscal realities that would make this a transparent and mutually beneficial project for all involved.

I hope this has spurred some ideas and perhaps some interest in how to pull off such a concept on a pilot basis first and then to perhaps grow it into something that Independent Artists know best and practice everyday.

Self sufficiency.

Post your comments, message or email me.

You never know it could be the beginning of a great relationship and journey!

Carpe Diem!

Michael Stone
Radio Personality
Singer-Songwriter
----Observer----

Mixposure is back for sure

2007-07-10T15:13:00.001-07:00

From Michael Stone

Hello friends, I just got back from a little on line journey to Mixposure and all seems to be running like a top.

New uploads, new reviews, the forums are humming, I'd say the worst is behind Kyle and the crew at The Mix.

I've always been a fan of the site and was really let down, as were many others, when everything crumbled here a few months ago. But it looks like everything is back in place as it was as if frozen in time.

And I hope it's only frozen for a brief period. Now to see if the content can keep up to date with the fan base. Genre spotlights, featured artists, and artist interviews are just a little piece of the proverbial pie.

I hope that after this euphoria over having Mixposure subsides that we'll see the updates come fast and furious.

Also, I'm curious what's to happen monetarily. It will soon be time for front page articles to help the many fans/patrons of the site understand where their MixPro monies are and when subscriptions will pick back up ad how all of that will be calculated. Not an easy task I'm sure.

Welcome back Mixposure, you were sorely missed.

Oh, you can visit my MixPosure Page.

All the best!

Michael Stone
Radio Personality
Singer-Songwriter
----Observer----

Independent Music-Let's look at OMD sites

2007-07-09T03:01:00.001-07:00

From Michael Stone

The proliferation of Independent music sites is a wonderful happening for the unsigned musician.

These sites give us all avenues through which to practice our craft-hobby-art, with other like minded souls.

And who knows, you might even sell a CD or two.

After all; you do have thousands in cash wrapped up in the equipment and the artwork and the burning of the CD's. Not to mention the thousands of man-woman hours spend writing, practicing, listening, mixing, re-mixing etc. It would be nice to make a modest return on your investment.

Or are you a purist? One who thinks it's all about the art of the project.

Whoever started this widespread belief amongst Indie musicians that anything entrepreneurial or capitalistic is a bad thing should be strung up by his Ernie Balls.

So coming in the next weeks or months, we'll be taking a look at the OMD's out there. I did a partial list in a previous post, but I thought it would be fitting and fair to dissect each site individually.

My take is mainly from the artist point of view and have accounts at most of the sites we'll visit in this series. So, I'll be speaking from personal experience. I'll do my best to maintain an impartial opinion, but as you might imagine there will be sites that I enjoy a bit more than others.

We'll look at 'em all good things and perceived warts!

For the purposes of public disclosure it is important for you to know that I do an on air show on SongPlanet.com, 3 days a week.

My show is called Indie X-Posure and I do it for NO money at all, simply for the pleasure of experiencing such a wealth of new music. I do receive a Pro Artist account as a benefit of doing the program.

With all of that in mind I decided I might as well start close to home, so in the next posting we'll take a look at SongPlanet.com.

I hope you'll join me in this journey of discovery and education. As always, feel free to add your two cents worth.

All the best! Carpe Diem!

Michael Stone
Radio Personality
Singer-Songwriter
----Observer----

Independent Music-Mixposure-The Phoenix Rises

2007-07-08T07:25:00.001-07:00

AN UPDATE 8am MT- 7/8/2007 From Michael Stone

I can almost see the dust rising online and hear the hammers pounding. It looks like Mixposure must have been able to revive most of the data from their down time.

Some menus-images are broken, BUT I was able to get to my own MixPosure Page, so now I'm really pumped!

Progress is being made.

I know it's early in this resurrection, but it is my hope that there will be more constant updates to Genre spotlights, Featured artists etc.

I see with the newly uploaded site many of these features are the same as they appeared for almost a year prior to the demise of this great site.

Nonetheless I do wish Mixposure much success in the future.

Michael Stone
Radio Personality
Singer-Songwriter
----Observer----

Indie music scams-don't get ripped off

2007-07-08T06:26:00.001-07:00

From Michael Stone

Independent musicians are hungry for exposure and are always looking for possible ways to build a larger following and perhaps move some product, whether it be CDs, or individual downloads on line.

Let me offer a note of caution. Be extra vigilant in your choice of OMD's (on line digital music distributors). At least the places where you drop your hard earned bucks.

While I believe most are legit attempts at getting a business going and supporting Independent musicians.

Many simply don't have the resources or where with all to be truly helpful to your goals as an Independent Musician.

Then there those that are suspect.

I'm not going to mention them specifically for obvious legal reasons. However; let me give you a few; what I believe, are tell tale signs of a questionable site.

Inflated stats

I signed up for one site and at first I was elated, as one would be, at the number of listens and page views listed on my page. It was triple even quadruple what other Indie sites I am posting to had displayed.

It must be my incredible appeal, I surmised.

But then I started to get a little suspicious. The stats were disproportionate to anything else I had seen in my several years of experience on these sites (I'm on about 15). And it all happened within a day or so of signing up. WOW, these people have one hell of a lot of traffic or maybe the hype was true, they really could make me a star.

Bogus "fan" emails

This was the kicker for me. I immediately started receiving gushing emails, telling me I was the next big thing. They were addressing me directly; "Dear Michael", so they "seemed" personalized, but then the content was generic enough that I became wary when they were in my in box.

Several a day.

But then I started receiving the emails with the cryptic "Dear *.* " and the same flowery verbiage. I decided to investigate. Sure enough, a friend of mine, on that same site had the EXACT SAME emails, personally addressed to him.

I was deflated to say the least. To exploit peoples hopes and dreams defines the scum of the earth.

Charges for everything

While there are sites that charge for many different services, like getting music industry folks to listen, putting you in front of film-tv deals etc. The suspected scammers "say" they do the same.

Be cautious of charges for every little service and ask why it isn't included in the basic member ship if it's a paid membership? Chances are you'll never hear back, but most legit sites don't seem to respond very well to customer support questions either.

A BIG gripe with me.

So with those things in mind, a note to Indie Site Operators.

Why is that that there are NO sites that I've found yet that let me insert my own code for tracking stats? That kind of transparency would go far to win enthusiastic site promoters.
Rather than nickel and dime paying customers to death, put your costs in UP FRONT, so that we know everything we're getting with a paid membership.
Get serious about customer support answer the phones, emails etc. in a timely manner.

So with some of that in mind I'm working on an Indie-Musician Bill Of Rights. Feel free to add ideas to the list by posting comments.

INDEPENDENT MUSICIAN BILL OF RIGHTS

You have the RIGHT to see "independent" counts of page views and listens and not rely on what's posted by site owners.
You have the RIGHT to talk with a site representative in a reasonable amount of time.
You have the RIGHT to see refunds of partial monies if not satisfied with a service and you pull your songs.

I know there are many more that many of you would find necessary to include. But these seem to be the core values that are really sticking in my mind right now.

Michael Stone
Radio Personality
Singer-Songwriter
----Observer----

Independent Music-Mixposure returns-KIND OF...

2007-07-07T18:10:00.001-07:00

From Michael Stone

Mixposure is an Independent music site that many need no introduction to many. It's rather shocking implosion took many by surprise and left a many Indie Artists feeling as if they'd lost a home.

After many months off line and the ominous "This site is suspended" error message one got, I am pleased to say Mixposure is back, KIND OF....

I accidentally ran into the site and thought, WOW, there it is again, but whoa, wait. It's not all there. Many of the menu links bring up error code.

The forum is working and I found this post from Kyle the site's proprietor.

"Greetings!
First things first; HELLO AND WELCOME BACK!!! It's great to see so many of you old cats peeking your head in the door, I guess the clanking of my wrenches must have given me away. Sorry for all the commotion!"

I've always found the site to be visually one of the best of the Indie sites out there.

I had plenty of complaints about content never being updated, IE: artist interviews, contest etc.

We'll be keeping an eye out to see how all progresses and keep our fingers crossed.

I'm sure there are those out there like myself, curious about what is planned about monies we already paid for the site and what's to be done about rectifying those issues with all involved for the downtime.

Let's see what happens and hope for a positive outcome. It's in every Indie artist's interest to see every Independent Music site survive and thrive!

All the best!

Michael Stone
Radio Personality
Singer-Songwriter
----Observer----

Radio Show Basics- Relating real experience to prepared material

2007-07-07T05:52:00.001-07:00

From Michael Stone

The best bits I've found most effective,while performing on the air, are those that relate to real life.

Telling stories about yourself all the time can seem self indulgent, but relating personal experience can also be a useful tool to relate to your audience, and more importantly; for them to relate to you. There are always events in your everyday life that can become useful bits for on air development.

How you relate those occurrences can be enhanced through the use of material you already have planned for your show from your daily show prep sources. Or maybe another way to put it is that those wacky stories you planned to use can be enhanced by relating YOUR real life experiences.

One brief example:
I had the story about a guy in New Hampshire who was fighting the state over traffic tickets claiming the speed limits were too low. He wanted the state to pay his tickets, court costs and for a study to determine that the speed limits were set artificially low.

As it would happen my morning partner had just been pulled for speeding (again). So it became very natural to do some homegrown, locally relatable material and tie in with one of the wacky stories we had already come across.

Another quick example: My daughter in law is VERY pregnant. Not that you can be partially pregnant, but she's expecting any day and a baby watch on the air can be fun. Again, I had a story about a pregnant woman who got stuck in broken down elevator because she was too pregnant to fit through the emergency hatch. Again we did some tie ins that made it real and relateable as opposed to some story out of the blue.

Just a little food for thought for the next time you crack open a mike.

How does the prep relate to a real life experience you're having? And how can you help to make it real for the audience?

Michael Stone
Radio Personality
Singer-Songwriter
----Observer----
AudioPros.com

How not to buy shoes

2007-07-06T15:40:00.000-07:00

By Michael Stone

Every year there's a stinkiest tennis shoe contest held in the USA.

I've been thinking that I should enter.

Well, maybe not the stinky division, but I could compete in the "rattiest" tennis shoe contest and I could be competitive.

Now, I must admit, I'm no connoisseur of recreational footwear, nor would I claim that moniker. I only own two pairs of shoes, one dress and the infamous tennies.

I'm not what you could call a clothes horse,or shoe horse, I guess.

So I received a gift certificate from family to get new shoes and ventured out on a footwear shopping adventure.

Now to some women, being in the market for a new pair of pumps may rival a chocolate covered truffle-a-thon, but for a man, or at least THIS man, shoe shopping ranks just below root canal and a skosche above dirty diaper duty.

So, off we go to the shoe-a-torium to peruse the available styles and colors. I must admit the entire experience was relatively painless. I found the shoes I wanted in minutes, tried them on and was ready to head out the door.

But here's where the disturbing part of the story begins.

The guy who's selling me the shoes begins a detailed examination of my old ratty tennis shoes. He held them up to the light like a gemologist determining the clarity of a diamond

To be honest, I feared he was about to bury his face between the laces and take in a big whiff of Michael tootsies, nothing I would wish on anyone.

Fortunately, that wasn't the case.

No, he seemed content to give the offensive tennie the once over like Inspector Clouseau.

Then; *gasp* to my horror he began to box up my old tennis shoes. Not being one that is learned in the etiquette of shoe shopping, I innocently and quickly blurted "hey, I want to keep those".

To which he replied "Yes sir I was boxing them so you could take them."

But I could tell by the amused, you're a moron, smirk on his face, and that of my Rebecca, that my initial reaction to the possibility of losing an old ratty pair of tennis shoes to the waste bin of shoedom was perhaps a bit hasty.

So anyway, I have my new wonderful pair of walking shoes and have increased my footwear options to three, though I don't think I'm allowed anywhere in the old ones, unless it's behind a lawn mower.

Michael Stone
Radio Personality
Singer-Songwriter
----Observer----

Independent Music-Buy into your favorite bands

2007-07-02T13:23:00.001-07:00

From Michael Stone

I've long been a proponent of supporting your favorite Indie-Unsigned artists by buying their CD's or individual cuts of their music.

I've always seen the Independent music scene as something with HUGE potential for artists and music fans since the advent of the Internet. The only problem is it seems many people simply want everything for free.And as any struggling musician will tell you, recording equipment, studio time and the blood, sweat and tears expended are not cheap.

It was inevitable that innovation would raise it's lovely, entrepreneurial head and here's the latest.

I like it.

SliceThePie is a web site where fans can have a vested interest in the groups they support.

CEO David Courtier-Dutton describes the site as an enabler for bands AND fans.

Getting the bands financed but also enabling fans to share in the revenues and trade in and out of the bands.

Sort of a musical stock market on line.

Independent music sites are nothing new, but this concept is, in that it allows fans to "buy contracts that entitle them to a return based on the number of singles and albums sold by the Artist over a 2 year period."

Then, you as an investor in the band can trade or sell your interest in an act on the SliceThePie Exchange.

Will it work? I have no idea. But, it's just different enough from some of the other business models that I'll be watching it closely.

In fact, I'll be watching it very closely.

I'm on my way to see if I can get some investors for my Indie Music project.

It's great to see people looking for ways to utilize the power of the web and the capitalistic spirit to empower music.

Michael Stone
Radio Personality
Singer-Songwriter
----Observer----

Radio Show Basics-Michael Stone on characters

2007-07-01T06:18:00.001-07:00

Theater of the mind can be a powerful tool for a radio show. Especially when incorporating characters.

To many the idea of radio characters, in this era, may seem dated or corny beyond belief. I agree; BUT, proper execution and the uniqueness of an audio only forum can make radio characters absolutely captivating.

Characters can be defined as real people, callers, invented UNREAL people, you name it.

If done right, and believably, then you can pull off almost anything.

I have been absolutely amazed through the years at what has captured the audiences' imagination. So, I'll throw out some examples that may fire an idea that takes your show to a place never imagined.

If you decide to "invent" a character, plan it. Think about who he is and what he does every day when he's not at the station. This can really help you come up with ideas that this character will bring into the studio.

Let me start with my favorite character I created for a show.

Lead Belly Louie.

The World's One and Only Blues Weatherman.

Lead Belly Louie came about as a function of being bored doing the weather the same way four times an hour, 5-6 days a week. I thought; How can I do the weather differently, so it would actually be "interesting"?!

Then I got the idea of singing the weather. I am, after all. a musician.

God knows, a singing weatherman is corny as hell, but what if I could make it cool and not so "corny"?

Blues has always had a hip factor of ten, so why not? I'll create a character who saunters into the show, goofs around (like a blues man might) sings the weather; to the blues.

Then all of the sudden, there he was, flirting with my morning partner, being an incorrigible, if not loveable, part of our show.

Drawbacks.

I always worried Louie might have seemed like a stereotype.

If you listen to him you'll understand this. The character is very reminiscent of Black Southern Blues Men. I was concerned about just this reaction, especially since I unveiled this character, originally in 1983 in Detroit, Michigan.

Racial tensions were high at the time,but my black news anchor, Mike Hudson, said he didn't think it would be a problem, so I ran with it.

I never did, and haven't since, received ONE complaint about the character I thought "might" fire up a negative response. So what does this character sound like? I thought you might ask. You can click here for Lead Belly Louie, the World's One and Only Blues Weatherman.

As with everything in life and radio, moderation is the key.

I only use Louie occasionally. I've actually had listeners call up to talk with him. He's also convenient to do those REALLY corny bits that I might not be comfortable doing myself. A character can say things I (or you) would never say.

This use of theater of the mind can really help to create a diverse audio world for your listeners.

I wish you all the best. Comments are always welcome.

Take Care!

Michael Stone
Radio Personality
Singer-Songwriter
----Observer----

Voices on the radio

2007-06-30T04:44:00.000-07:00

They haunt me. Voices on the radio.

Well I'm not sure it's that drastic, but they do reappear in my psyche from time to time.

Radio voices from the past. I'm sure everyone has those that stick with them from days long gone and those voices that are there for you even to this day.

Many of my personal recollections go back to WLEE radio in Richmond, Virginia in the late 60's and early 70's.

I was absolutely hooked by a guy that went by the name Shane Brother Shane. He did nights on that AM station when AM was still dominant in TOP 40. That was about to change. Heck back then we even had an AM "underground" station. Read album rock.

Anyway Shane Brother Shane had this big voice. Or at least I pictured it in my mind as big, but I hesitate to rely on my memory to make many judgements. I was after all just an adolescent with a truly warped sense of the world, as I perceived it.

Anyway, when I listen to Shane, I was mesmerized. He, of course seemed bigger than life. I couldn't wait for him to come on the air, because there was always some unique and different and unexpected that was going to happen.

I took that to heart in my own radio career. Be "predictably unpredictable."

His show was such a bright spot. It involved true theater of the mind. You could picture whatever he was saying or doing. It really took advantage of the power of radio and the imaginative energy of all those little heads filled with grey matter out there, including mine.

Another one that stuck with me was Lee "Baby" Sims. Lee Baby was on WMYQ, I believe, out of Miami, Florida, when I was in college and early in my own career. He epitomized cool in my mind.

One episode in particular sticks in my mind. Y-100 the legendary station at the time was giving away $1,000,000 in some sort of contest. I just remember WOW that is huge.

What was Lee Baby's response. He had a 14 year old kid on the air and was giving away a half a cup of tea and a bagel. His own of course. The dichotomy of that interaction and it's effective result, on me anyway, was profound and funny.

Here was this lone voice in the night bucking the big guys with something so simple. It wasn't unbelievable radio, but it did stick in my mind, to this day, 30 plus years later.
Then there's The Greaseman. I first hear his gravelly crude, rude and socially unacceptable rants and humor on my drive to college each morning while in Coca Beach, Florida.

He was doing mornings on WAPE, The Big Ape, in Jacksonville at the time. A legendary AM. I don't know what it was about this guy, but t the time I couldn't get enough f his irreverent approach to everything.

Now here I am 35 years on in my own radio career and I realize I'm one of those Voices On The Radio.

One can't help but wonder will I leave this indelible, if not really important mark in some one's mind 30 years down the road? I can only hope.

Your comments are welcome.

Michael Stone

Singer-songwriter-radio personality

Independent Music-Self Promotion part one

2007-06-23T09:59:00.001-07:00

Promoting yourself as an Independent musician-songwriter-band-artist is a subject that one could never cover in a single article. So we'll take a look at the topic over a period of time with different perspectives and ideas.

YOU are always welcome (and highly encouraged) to leave comments and suggestions of your own.

I won't judge any sites in particular, right now, but I will give you a starting point. I suggest you take the time to investigate the sites individually and decide which ones are for you. Some rock, some are acoustic, some hip hop. YOU decide.

First what you will find is this:

Almost ALL sites have a FREE account.
ALL have an upgraded account (real money is exchanged)
There are differing levels of possibilities: IE: how many songs, Blogs, photo galleries,calendars for posting gigs etc.
Forums: I believe it is important to become involved in these forums t promote yourself, but also to get ideas from others who are trying to accomplish the same goals as you. This can be VERY time consuming so choose your forums wisely.
Traffic: What does a web site generate in traffic to you? Let me give you this cautionary alert. Most sites have ZERO transparency when it comes to stats. They may SAY they do, but take this with a grain of salt. If possible insert your own stats counter.
Your rights: By signing up to these sight, and their user agreements, you allow them to stream your music WITHOUT you getting ANY ROYALTY fees! Let me repeat that in case you missed it: you allow them to stream your music WITHOUT you getting ANY ROYALTY fees! In other words if you are a BMI, ASCAP or SESAC member or whatever. You are not getting a DIME or penny from this exposure.

Here's the catch 22! You DO get "EXPOSURE", right? So you MIGHT sell a CD from that process.

That is the argument these sites will offer and it is legitimate. Once again TRAFFIC becomes paramount in your decisions.

OK I promised some sites:

Start here:

INDIE MUSIC WEBSITES:

http://www.garageband.com/htdb/index.html
http://www.songplanet.com/
http://artistlaunch.com/
http://www.audiostreet.net/
http://www.stage.fm/
http://www.betarecords.com/
https://www.burnlounge.com/
http://www.indie911.com/
http://www.isound.com/sign_up/
http://www.kvibe.com/default.aspx
http://mixposure.com/
http://www.mp3unsigned.com/Default.asp
http://www.musicforte.com/
http://www.purevolume.com/
http://www.sonicgarden.com/
http://www.soundclick.com/
http://www.funender.com/phpBB2/portal.php
http://www.unsigned.com/index.php
http://www.numberonemusic.com/

More coming REAL soon!

Michael Stone

Radio show basics-Production elements-MichaelStone

2007-06-22T17:30:00.001-07:00

The use of music beds, jingles, listener drops, sound effects and other audio candy can enhance the listening experience for your audience.

Thus, bringing them back for more. More and happy listeners, means more money and a happier radio personality! As with all things moderation is the key. We use music beds as benchmarks.

As an example there's a music bed for traffic. Another for "stupid criminal stories" and a Hollywood bed for entertainment stories, which I do in relatively set locations within the show.

Some are set benchmarks: IE: traffic, Hollywood, while others vary in frequency and location in the show depending on the content available.

When it comes to the insertion of sound effects I would urge caution. They can come off as extremely cheesy and amateurish.

That being said there are times the can really add a fun offbeat element to your show.

A few recent examples where the proper sparse placement of sound effects really added a few moments of fun to our show:

My partner had gotten into trouble for bringing her dogs to the station. Well today, 6/22, was Bring Your Dogs to Work Day. Sooo, I broke out the dog barking effect and had it barking at the most inopportune times in the distance. She feigned horror. It was all fun and the listeners enjoyed us teasing each other and bucking the boss a bit!

This week we also did a This Day In History note about the FCC. I broke out the bleep and had them bleeping every other word while I was explaining how they were the ultimate arbiters of what we could say.

Quick, fun and I believe effective.

I'd love to hear some of your examples or comments. Feel free to post here.
All the best!

Michael Stone
Singer-songwriter
Radio personality
AudioProduction

Michael Stone-Garageband.Com TRACK OF THE DAY

2007-06-22T08:47:00.001-07:00

How could I have not posted this?

Oh well June 21st my song Blue Eyed Friend was chosen the Acoustic Track Of The Day at Garageband.com a great Independent Music site.

Here's what the email looked like:

Dear Michael,

Congratulations! As a result of some very enthusiastic reviews from GarageBand.com members, "Blue Eyed Friend-2007" will be Track of the Day at GarageBand.com.

For 24 hours on Thursday, the 21^st of June, 2007 (PST) "Blue Eyed Friend-2007" will be featured on GarageBand.com's Acoustic front page.

WHOO HOO! (I added that) Want to hear the song? It's kind of a Bluesy-jazzy track. Click the Badge below. Thanks for listening! Michael

Radio show basics-An on going discussion

2007-06-22T07:08:00.000-07:00

I've been in radio over 35 years and have spent the vast majority of that doing morning shows.

Many times during the course of that career, I've been amazed at the number of times, I re-discover ideas that work on the air.

That being said let's share some thoughts on daily personality programs. Not just morning shows, but I feel these thoughts apply to anyone who wants to produce an informative, interesting and, most importantly, entertaining sow.

First: Prepare, prepare prepare.

It is vital to go into the studio with more material than you could ever use. Then it just becomes a process of organizing when where and how you'll be filling the available breaks with compelling news, information, and entertainment.

With the advent of the Internet and your constant access to instant information, I would suggest constant research for today's and tomorrow's program while on the air.

You'll be amazed how you run into a story on the web, last minute, and how it can develop into something that turns into a spontaneity smorgasbord!

With that in mind, it's important to be organized but not to the point of being rigid.

Stay open to all of the spontaneous possibilities that present themselves, and if you feel somethings working, toss everything else out the proverbial studio window, and go with the impromptu every time.

Some possess that innate ability to just "be funny" naturally.

Not I, I have to work at it a little harder, but every now and then even I'm surprised where an aside comment will take over our show, and turn it into a laugh fest.

Coming soon, production elements in your program and the best ways to incorporate into the daily show.

All the best
Michael Stone
Singer-songwriter
Radio personality

FREE Business Cards! WOW! Click here.

Radio airplay-don't complain

2007-06-08T05:23:00.000-07:00

Commercial radio on air people have heard it a million times. "You guys just play the same artists/songs over and over, all the time".

I don't care what format; rock, country, Top 40, Adult Contemporary, Polish punk polka, whatever; it is the mantra of the radio listener.

Frankly I find it boring anymore. A few points to illustrate my frustration with this line of thinking:

First, look at the proliferation of radio stations in America.

There are so many signals available to the average listener just in broadcast radio it's almost unmanageable. Thrown in the plethora of Internet, cable and low power FM's and you have more radio choices than any one listener could consume in a lifetime.

In my 35 years on the air I have received thousands of cd-album-single releases.

While I've listened to them all it would be impossible for all of these to be on the air.

Those who whine that radio doesn't have any diversity haven't been listening.

Besides that, many of the submissions are really not of the quality you would hope for. Also, unfortunately there are many tremendous artists who go totally unnoticed, because they are caught in the flood of musical efforts that show up everyday on the desks of programmers everywhere.

Like it or not the bottom line is that record companies play an important part in the process because they can properly promote artists.

Record companies, like other big corporations in America take the brunt of criticism for market failings, simply because they are a big target.

Recently I received a cd that blew me away. Great music from an attractive group that I KNEW didn't have a chance.

You heard me right. They didn't have a chance of getting any radio play. Why?

Distribution issues, the flood of other submissions, the list here goes on and on. I wish it were different.

But this is where market realities come into play. Radio stations need listeners, so radio stations play what draws listeners, thereby bring in advertisers to support the cost of doing business, with hopefully a little left over in profit.

I, myself am facing this reality as an artist. I will be releasing a cd that most of the known world will never hear or even get the opportunity to listen to.

I'm currently working a marketing program for the web and yes even my local radio station, where I'm buying ad time to promote my music.

If it succeeds, then so be it. If not, there's no one else to blame, but myself and market forces.

Oh by the way, you can hear my music here: MichaelStoneMusic.com

Good luck to all other artists, but let's here a little less complaining and see a little more support for the Independent unknown, unsigned artist, before trying lay blame at the doorstep of radio, record companies or the like.

Michael Stone
Singer-songwriter
radio personality-writer

I have IMS

2007-06-06T14:01:00.001-07:00

I have IMS.
Don't fret.

I'm hoping to be able to cope with Intermittent Memory Syndrome. Yes, it's that ghastly condition whereby a seemly normal, healthy individual, inexplicably can't remember something said only a week, a day even an hour before, if not just minutes prior.

I would have told you about this sooner, but I forgot to divulge the condition.

It came to light during a recent lunch conversation, just yesterday (or was it the day before. ) Anyway, I had to ask today "what was the name of that syndrome?".

Why?

Yep, you got it, I forgot.

Now, I don't want anyone to get this confused with YDS, or the more common, Yes Dear Syndrome. The ailment whereby a spouse seems to paying attention to the details of your conversation, when it fact they're reciting baseball statistics or supermodel measurements to themselves within the confines of their puny cranial cavities that house that pitiful excuse for gray matter.

Oh sure it's mainly a male affliction, but I have been "wifed" more than once in my time. But I digress.

Back to Intermittent Memory Syndrome. If you, like I, find this to be creeping into your life ever increasingly, I suggest you just go with it.

Don't try to fight it.

As they say on Star Trek "Resistance is futile." or is that Star Wars?

Oh well you get the gist of my thinking. I find this of increasing concern, especially with my increased performance of my original music. I've actually forgotten lyrics and chords to songs I've been performing for years. I have many tell me not to worry about it when I get frustrated with this situation, by telling me, "Don't worry no one knows the songs anyway".

Thanks!? I think.

Many of my "friends" in fact say that I should just use another of my recent ailments as cover.

But I don't want to have to depend on MMS, Momentary Mumbling Syndrome, when it comes to my music. No! I want everyone to get the full effects of my prose and musical subtlety. I refuse to fall into the trap of depending on medical infirmities to explain away the problems.

That being said, I've decided to start weekly meetings for those with IMS/YDS/MMS. We might as well combine the support groups so we can all benefit at once.

Now if we can just remember where the meetings are to be held.

Michael Stone
AudioPros.com

Junk Food Tax

2007-06-06T13:40:00.001-07:00

I recently read of those wanting to tax junk food.

AND WHAT'S NEXT?

It is difficult to understand this tendency for some to put their noses smack dab into the middle of other people's business.

The chosen method is to get the government involved , "for the greater good".

Taxes are the weapon of choice. Now it is the food that we choose to eat.

The proponents of taxing some foods higher than others would tell us they are doing it to protect us from ourselves.

We, the poor clueless public that continues to consume, the Big Macs, and fries and Double Stuffed Pizzas, with extra toppings.

Thank goodness the nutrition and diet watchdogs have our back. What would we do without someone to hold our hand through the grocery and fast food aisles?

This continuous creeping of governmental institutions into what are private decisions should appall all who believe in individual choice.

If I "choose" to consume something perfectly legal, whether it be alcohol, tobacco, or God forbid a DQ Blizzard with extra Oreo Crumbles, then so be it.

Stay out of my car, stay out of my home, stay out of my bed, but definitely stay out of my food choices.

If you want a new tax, how about taxing people who can't mind their own business?

Now there would be a government windfall! And it would be "for the greater good".

What do you need for a jingle?

2007-06-03T07:45:00.000-07:00

Having AudioPros.com produce a jingle for your business is a lot easier process than you might imagine.

Clients need to know what they want that will determine what is needed when requesting a jingle.

It really is a very simple process. Here's the information we need going in:

Target audience. Male-female-age group (be as specific as possible)
Product-service being sold
Musical style you envision, if any
Any other comments you think ill be helpful in the production of you Musical Image.

That really is it. Generally speaking AudioPros.com will have a jingle ready for approval within 2 weeks of the order, many times the turnaround is much quicker. You can l isten to a montage of past samples here.

To contact us and provide info to order a jingle or to ask specific questions visit out CONTACT PAGE.

Michael Stone

FREE Business Cards! WOW! Click here.

Grocery shopping: Be careful out there!

2007-06-02T08:58:00.002-07:00

One might assume that a visit to the local supermarket is uneventful. Usually it is.

But this was to be no ordinary shopping excursion to the grocerteria.

No ,there were other forces at work. Providence had intervened. All knowing fruit, dairy,veggie and bread deities were at play in the aisles of Safeway that day.

I; your humble narrator, had begun my journey innocently enough in the fruits and vegetable corridor. Navigating the rows and rows of Apples; Gala, Fuji and Grannies, then visiting strawberries, blueberries, raspberries. All of which seemed to beckon to me that fine day.

Come, inhale the aroma , embrace our textures, taste our succulence.

Perhaps it was this cornucopia of delectable temptations that was my first failing.

Because it was after my temporary insanity that I was aware that I was now five aisles over, grudgingly perusing paper products. I don't care if Bounty is The Quicker Picker Upper, nothing lifts my spirits like a blissful expedition down the intoxicating aisle of nutrient rich fruits and veggies.

It was at this moment, as I was being awoken from my fruit induced drunkenness, that I realized someone was calling to me.

They weren't calling my name. In fact, the voice seemed cold, monotone and strangely distant and muffled. But something about their words spoke to me. Summoned me to listen more attentively.

That's when I was jolted completely sober by the words.

"Would the person who has the wrong cart please return it to aisle 4?"; said the voice, in a rather annoyed, why am I being bothered with this, tone.

First it hit me as humorous. How could some idiot take the wrong cart.

Then, like a splash of cold water on my face, the facts came rushing in.

I, had been in aisle four.

I had been walking around in a daze.

I had cat food in my cart. WAIT! Cat food? I don't have a cat. I don't even like felines. I don't associate with cat people, so why, oh why would I, of all people, be in possession of cat food? And.... Gasp! AND kitty litter!?!

Oh no, it was me.

I was the mindless twit who had inadvertently taken someone Else's shopping cart. I could only imagine the interrogation at the hands of the 16 year old bag boy.

"But officer"; I would mutter, "The cart in question had bananas, kiwi and fresh ripe strawberries from Michigan's Upper Peninsula." I would continue, "and the aforementioned fruit was all placed in the child seat just as I always do, so you can see the innocent error of my ways....Can't you?"

This is where my puppy dog eyes kick in and my most sincere voice is oozing from my lips like strawberry sauce on a chocolate cake.

"Did you not notice the woman's purse?"; said my examiner.

In fact I had not. Fruit and veggie intoxication can cause one to do unspeakable things, but they weren't here to listen to excuses. The aggrieved woman wanted her cart back and she wanted it now.

I relented and gave it to her. And for the briefest of moments I almost asked for my Bounty and me Lucky Charms back, but I thought better of it upon reflection.

One must pick their battles carefully when in the confines of the grocerteria.

The wienie dog incident, Tales of de-gardening!

2007-06-02T05:48:00.000-07:00

The saga began innocently enough. I, the gentle gardener, newly rediscovering my, play in the dirt roots, so to speak. Me against the elements and those pesky horticultural demons that had haunted my recent gardening past.

But this year was going to be different. No browning patches of once optimistically planted flora. No clinging to the, vine of life herbage; in need of resuscitation stat! This was the year I, the handy backyard gardener, would do his farmer father proud. I even had visions of state champion gourds in my head, but I get ahead of myself.

First I must actually put something in the ground, right? That I did starting with some small starter plants and flowers I picked up at my local gardening proprietor. After spending and morning and afternoon, playing in the dirt, shoveling, spading and generally just moving a lot of terra firma around, I was satisfied with my endeavors and thought it time to sit back and enjoy the fruits, er veggies of my labors.

That's when it all began. That's when the Dachshund named Rio came into the picture. I'd call him a wienie dog but this is after all family entertainment, though there have been many different incarnations of the tiny canine's name muttered under my breath since our first gardening encounter.

It seems that Rio enjoys gardening as much as I do. Wait, I've erred. Rio enjoys de-gardening as much as I. It seems the munchkin takes exception to the method, location or style of my planting ways. Either that or she has a secret hidden agenda, a doggie vendetta, if you will, based on a past misdeed on my part.

I suspect the "my socks are not a chewy" incident, but I'll save that conflict for another time.

At every opportune moment, Rio, the miniature Wienie dog will sneak upon my favorite newly planted seedling of beauty and decide either to stomp, chew or otherwise demolish a gardeners best efforts.

It first began with clandestine forays into my fields of greens. I imagine the litter critter clad in petunia, pepper, and tomato camouflage ready to do battle against my dear friends.

They never even saw it coming when the wienster snuck upon them and vigorously began the de-gardening she is now infamous for.

As of late the incidents have become blatant. She no longer waits for me to abandon my leafy friends. Now she begins the deconstruction of my efforts right in front of my eyes. In fact, to Rio it's become a competition. Who can reach the affected greenery quickest?

I plant, she digs. She digs, I re-plant, and on it goes. When will the abomination end!?

I know that you too, have your horticultural horror. Most likely based around the occasional rabbit, crow or pesky chipmunk eager to enjoy your smorgasbord, but my dilemma is much worse.

This is a devious, scheming creature, this wienie dog. A canine with no heart. And a deep seeded grudge against me the garden's master.

The next time I come out and see her feasting on a bed on MY mixed greens, I'm going right up to her and saying, BAD DOGGIE, in my firmest voice. Right after I seize the bottle of Raspberry Vinegarette from her little furry wienie dog paws.

Mchael Stone

A day in the life of a radio personality

2007-05-31T14:50:00.000-07:00

Many questions are asked concerning the life of a radio personality. Some believe there's some sort of glory attached. Nothing could be farther from the truth. But let me give you an overview and you decide.

I've been in radio and on the air for over 35 years now. The majority of that time hosting a morning show. Most recently (the past 15 years) I've been in Northern Colorado with my morning partner, Susan Moore. We know each other way too well. Kind of like being married without any of the benefits :)

The day begins around 2:30am. My drive is about an hour as I live deep in the mountains. This gives me a great chance to think about what's to come on the program and mentally make some plans, most of which will be promptly derailed.

Once I get to the station soon after 4am, I do tons of research for the show on the web as well as download a number of show prep sheets that I subscribe to for material to be used on the show. I also search for compelling audio. It is, afterall, radio.

I work on an AC (Adult Contemporary) station. (Billy Joel, Rod Stewart, Sheryl Crow, John Mayer and the like).

Honestly the music is of no consequence to us. We are trying to provide entertainment and information between songs to keep, capture and hopefully develop a strong following that ensures another day in the big chair. Otherwise, I best find another way to pay the rent.

Prior to going on the air I record a show for our sister Oldies station and use much of the same material I'll be using for the live program on TRI102.5. A nice warmup for the live show. We then hit the air at 5am and have News, weather, traffic, sports and of course the ever prevelant slice of life stories from our lives and those of other "people in the news". Usually a unique blend of fun, never profane material.

I never saw it necessary to go that route, besides the audience of my station is overwhelmingly female and family oriented. There are double entendres, but hell I don't even use the word sex on the air. We call it "quality intimate time". I know that many parents appreciate not having to explain what the DJ said.

We do our best to be fun and entertain all the while taking calls and interacting with listeners on and off air. I produce a number of parodies and find ways to insert these little bits of audio irreverence into the program. There's a lot of slice of life, our real lives, because it's something most listeners can relate to. Dealing with kids, co-workers, the guy at the gas station etc.

After I get off the air at 10am, I then go into production mode. Cutting commercials, preparing material for tomorrows show and basically doing whatever else needs to be accomplished to maintain our success.

This includes MULTIPLE "personal appearances". Usually 3-5 per week. It could be as simple as doing an intro for a pro basketball game to honoring a special teacher to a live broadcast for a client, public service appearances, speaking to groups, classes etc. and anything else you can imagine someone might want us to do.

Having such a bizarre schedule can really put a damper on the social life, especially when you have to be out at the un-Godly hour of 7pm and don't get into bed until 9pm :)

With the advent of the Internet and on line streaming it's been quite an experience. Just this week, I received emails from Sao Paulo, Brazil, London, Iowa and my Dad listens quite regularly in Florida. You can always listen at http://TRI1025.com.

I've also begun an on line Independent Music showcase called Michael Stone's Indie X-Posure on http://SongPlanet.com every Thursday &Friday from 4-7 pm Mountain Time and Sunday Mornings 7-10am. Feel free to log in and give it a listen. You'd be amazed at the quality of the undiscovered talent waiting to be heard.

Hope to hear from you. Thanks for reading. Thanks for listening. I got this idea from a MySpace friend Vilmos (http://www.vilmos.com/) and his relating of a day in the life of a stand up comedian. Fun stuff!

Enjoy the music and enjoy today.

Michael Stone

Efficient use of language for personalities..

2007-05-26T12:21:00.000-07:00

EFFICIENT USE OF THE LANGUAGE:
by Michael Stone

Personalities have a tendency to ramble !

It's part of their nature. It's part of what makes them interesting ! It's also part of what makes listeners TURN THEM OFF!

It is up to PD's, consultants and GM's to direct, help and find the "happy medium" in personality delivery. That place where the personality realizes it's time to pull out of the bit and "hit the button", moving them on to commercials, music or whatever.

Sound familiar? It should. Everyone who's ever programmed or managed a radio station can relate an account of that person that "everyone" talks about in the community, BUT can't stand to listen to. This personality can increase cume, BUT decrease TSL. So, how do you move this incredibly creative person to a place where listeners CAN'T TUNE OUT?

Personalities will tell you that the sheer generation of a reaction is an indication of their success. (I know I am one)

WRONG !

Because you are annoying does not legitimize your approach ! Effectiveness is the KEY here! The ability to get a "mass" of listeners to "respond" to a message is what I'm trying to emphasize here !

I recently critiqued a colleague who thought that the information, while locally compelling, was worthy of a TEN MINUTE interview of a local community leader. The same information could have been expeditiously delivered in under a minute. The point here is, THE EFFICIENT USE OF THE LANGUAGE!

Personalities have a tendency to 'stroke' the person they are interviewing. That's all fine and well BUT is it what serves the listener and the station the best?

Probably not !

Your listeners, especially music station's 'customers', tune in to hear a variety of content. Music, entertainment, information etc. But the bottom line is they're there to hear the music. Provide what they've come for, but give them other reasons to visit your site on the dial!

This is where YOU have to step in and inform personalities of better ways to communicate their individual personality's.

Efficient use of the language !

It can be as simple as a weather forecast:

"The National Weather Service says it'll be a wonderful day with sunshine throughout the state Highs into the upper 80's with lows tonight, under starry skies, right around 50, then on Saturday, plan your weekend on being Sunny, great for flying a kite, right around 75 with windy skies.....etc...etc....etc..."

You get the idea.. Rambling, or "attemptive creativism", a noble cause, BUT......

NOT EFFECTIVE!!!!!!!!

Help personalities to learn ways to turn the "information" into concise easy to "make the audience listen" subject matter. Otherwise YOUR station becomes a "background" station. Never; in our minds, a good thing. OR an annoyance, and thus a tune out!

Strive to make personalities interesting yet concise! Whether it be individual breaks, or phone bits.

Strategies for increasing personality effectiveness:

* Have personalities critique themselves during critique sessions
* Emphasize the "effectiveness" (or lack thereof) of individual breaks
* Give specific verbal alternatives to specific breaks
* Point out all crutches
* Help personalities to communicate common ideas in uncommon ways.

Developing personalities is an on going process that is never really completed. But helping individuals to understand the importance of utilizing a wider and more creative vocabulary is what will take them beyond the realm of being a 'dick jockey' and move them into the more fulfilling, rewarding and profitable position of "Air Personality".

One caution though ! The individual must 'have' a personality to be one. Otherwise encourage them to follow a different path.

Michael Stone

Don't call me a DJ!

2007-05-26T09:59:00.000-07:00

First, don't call me a DJ.

I'm an on air radio personality. I realize that they may seem interchangeable to some, but the words are not synonyms.

A DJ is someone who plays records or cd’s. A radio personality is someone who communicates, informs and perhaps most importantly entertains.

The notion that a radio person is there to play music is huge misconception, especially in today’s world of commercial radio where every playlist is finely honed by program directors targeting very specific audiences.

Those, on air, have very little if any leeway to deviate from decisions sent forth from the hallowed halls of programming.

With today’s technology there isn’t even a need for a warm body to show up. Just let the computer run things.

That tends to be the prevailing attitude of some broadcasters. But they usually find that the average radio listener does genuinely want to hear news, information and entertaining repartee between their songs, whatever their format of choice.

That’s where radio personalities raise their weary heads.

Rising at 3 in the morning to dig through the day’s information, humorous stories and anecdotes. Then searching for the way to communicate in an engaging manner so that they, the individual personality can be heard through the clutter of media messages that we are all bombarded with on a daily basis.

This is the true challenge. In fact some days it seems an insurmountable task. But plod on we do. Trying to find the right combinations of words, phrases even vocal tone and inflection to genuinely touch some nerve within the potential listener.

Do we make a lot of money? No. Some do. Some even obscene amounts, but all the better for them. Most have worked hard to get to that pinnacle. Few have their success handed to them as with any profession.

So don’t call us DJ’s. We prefer radio personalities, communicators, interesting people, anything but DJ.

I’ll leave the discussion of music played at weddings for drunken people to those who know it best. DJ’s.

Performing: quelling those inner demons

2007-05-23T11:17:00.000-07:00

Performers: Finding the inner peace.

A recent survey confirms public speaking is still our number one fear.By the way computers came in number two.

If public speaking is number one, public performance can't be far down on the list. For anyone who's ever been in the 8th grade talent show, you know the jitters that can precede and virtually overwhelm that moment in the public eye. Even to the point that you can't recall one brief moment from your stint under the spotlights harsh glare.

Radio performers (not DJ's please) as well as musicians face this type of angst almost daily. How we deal with it is another subject all together.

Admit it or not. Like it or not. Performers do it for the "approval" of others. I can't tell you how many times I've heard someone say; "I do it because I love it".

99.9% of the time, I'm not buying it. Why? Because, I've been there.

No matter how much we try to distance ourselves as performers from the reality of reviews or an apathetic audience it is inevitable that we'll have an inner anxiety gremlin gnawing at our self esteem, laying bare insecurities.

This plays itself out in my psyche on the radio everyday as a personality. It's inevitable to wonder of the unseen and seldom encountered audience; "Do they like me"?

Of course, ratings tell the tale in many cases, but "numbers" seem so cold, and does that mean you're not really good at what you do? I hope not.

It's the same when I take my singer-songwriter act to a stage. Sometimes the audience seems enraptured by the performance, other times you're just the background sound-scape to their daily grind.

How can one NOT be driven crazy with insecurity?

I believe I found the answer after reading an article from the Washington Post.

They decided to do an experiment. Here's the basic premise.

Take Joshua Bell,one of the world's greatest violinists. His instrument of choice is a multi-million-dollar Stradivarius. If he played it for spare change, incognito, outside a bustling Metro stop in Washington, would anyone notice?

As you might imagine, his performance,as beautiful as I'm sure it was,went largely unnoticed by those on the run to here or there. Normally they'd pay $100 plus a seat for his show.

Some might be discouraged by this experiment.

Me? I came away with a different slant on this undertaking.

I came away wit a new understanding that I really did need to do this, performing, for myself. I really did need to find and suppress those insecurity flaws and perform simply for the joy and love of performing.

Guess what? It worked. I've become a more settled, less neurotic performer. Oh sure there are moments when little voices start screaming in my head, but for now. I'm at peace with the stage, the audience and my self.

Michael Stone

Internet Streaming Radio News

2007-05-23T06:07:00.000-07:00

There's been a lot of discussion and angst concerning on line broadcasting and streaming costs/issues.

I ran across this news item:

SMALL WEBCASTERS GET A BREAK IN ROYALTIES: SoundExchange has offered a deal to small webcasters to lower the royalty rates set by the Copyright Royalty Board's decision in March. The offer would make the rates for streaming sound recordings roughly the same as those set by the Small Webcaster Settlement Act (SWSA), which expired in 2005. Today's offer is in response to a request from a House Judiciary Subcommittee for SoundExchange to initiate good faith private negotiations with small commercial and noncommercial webcasters with the shared goal of ensuring their continued operations and viability

Michael Stone
http://MichaelStoneMusic.com
http://AudioPros.com

Winning the war "one listener at a time":

2007-05-21T14:21:00.000-07:00

Winning the war "one listener at a time":
Michael Stone

Personalities deal with the public constantly whether it be on the phone, personal appearances or community involvement. Many times though, I've seen cases where the personality has complete disdain for the very people who put bread into our mouths.

Everyone has a bad day, but no matter how lame the question or how unrelated to what you're currently doing a listener comment, remember they are a LISTENER. Your bread and butter ! And every one of them should be treated with the utmost courtesy and respect.

Many times you'll be extremely busy. Explain this and most callers will understand and accept being put on hold, especially if you come back and use some of the ideas below.

I liken the phones to a drive up window. If you get bad or rude service chances are you won't be back. Not only will you not return but, you'll tell three of your friends who'll tell another three of their friends of the less than stellar service and before you know it you're losing listeners in an already highly competitive situation. There are plenty of choices! Don't give them a reason to switch the dial.

When answering the phone ask for the caller's name. This instantly puts you on a more intimate footing. Remember to many listeners you may be just a disembodied voice.You can change this in a heartbeat by giving the impression (and living up to it) that you're interested in "them". Talk with the listener not AT them. People will warm up to you very quickly if you use this approach.

It's inevitable that you'll get the disgruntled listener or someone who couldn't care less about what you do. I look at them as my challenge cases.The people that I really want to convert to a listener. Someone who pays attention when I hit the air. Be aware it doesn't always happen, but make the effort. Even if you don't get through to the caller or individual at a live appearance your attempt at communicating is worth it and good practice.

This is basic communication. Finding the tactics and strategies that will help you develop a following and eventually a network of prime listeners that will laud your talents to others.

Again, building an audience One Listener At A Time !

American Idol! What? I didn't win? Inconceivable!

2007-05-19T05:05:00.000-07:00

As Vizzini said in The Princess Bride. "INCONCEIVABLE".

I know it's hard to believe but I didn't win the American Idol songwriting contest. Not only did I not win, I didn't even make the final twenty. Inconceivable.

My entry was strong. "Believe" has all the attributes of and American Idol finale song. Positive, uplifting with the 'ol I can do it message. But alas, I guess it just wasn't meant to be.

As with any exercise of this nature, I then began the analysis of WHY. Why did I not win? Why did I not make the top twenty. Was the song below standards? Did I miss the mark?

Then I did the math. Now normally I don't do numbers. It has to do with that left brain right brain thing. I'm just not very good when it comes to using the abacus. But I think I've got this one figured out.

It had nothing to do with song quality or happenstance.

NOPE! Simply put, it was the odds. Vegas bookies would have laughed in my general direction if I had asked them to bet on Michael Stone's "Believe" to win, let alone get into the top twenty of the competition.

A look at the facts and yes those pesky numbers reveals the answer:

38,000 entries
2 week time period to listen-
336 hours to evaluate and choose the top 20

So. With those figures in mind let's assume the "judges" (read interns) listened to JUST ONE MINUTE of all 38,000 songs.

That would take 633 hours! Hmmmm.....I've got a strange tingling in my gut that says maybe each song didn't get a complete listen.

Call me a cynic, call it instinct, but I think I'm on to something here.

The American Idol folks must never have heard "Believe". I mean, how could they have NOT have chosen such a perfect song to be sung on the finale by the winning American Idol? How could I not have been launched to worldwide fame and instinct songwriting success over night?

I'm glad I did break out the calculator and realized it was nothing I did creatively to impede my own success, but instead there was a mathematical explanation to the inexplicable, inconceivable result.

After all with my ONE entry against all the other songwriter wannabes in the world, I did have a .0000263% chance of success. Who wouldn't jump at those odd?

If you'd like to hear "Believe" or any of my other songs the player below should help!

I wish you all the best!
Michael Stone

Your punishment is....

2007-05-16T05:51:00.000-07:00

Here's yet another case of politically correctness run amok.

Let me start with this politically correct statement. I'm against bullying. Indeed, I do not condone it, hazing or any other type of activity where intimidation is the nefarious goal.

However; 18 year old Benjamin Co's situation in Australia is .. It seems that the young adult has been bullied his toddler years. His Mum, Angela Cox, says teachers never did anything about it. Guess what? She thinks they should pay for the years of bullying. Guess what else? They are! Over $200,000! Not only that he'll receive a stipund FOR LIFE! You read right.

The "victims" mom says: "my son has little education and is unable to work. She added that he rarely went out, had no friends, and just locks himself in his room playing PlayStation games."

"Locks himself in his room playing Play Station games." Sounds like half of the teenagers I know.

Don't get me wrong, I think there must be limits but this smacks of the "blame everyone else" syndrome to me.

Parents and everyone in general need to take responsibility for their actions and of those around them and stop depending on someone else to bail them out when the going gets tough!

Michael Stone Singer-Songwriter
AudioPros.com

Honey are you singing about hot dogs again?

2007-05-15T14:05:00.001-07:00

Ah for the love of a good, banal jingle.

"Plop, Plop, fizz,fizz, oh what a relief it is.." now that ditty for Alka Seltzer, is a classic!

I write and sing jingles for a living so when it comes to looking at what is successful in this genre of advertising, you'll get my interest every time.

Let's try another: "Oh I want to be an Oscar Meyer wiener, that is what I truly want to be. Cause if I were an Oscar Meyer Weiner, everyone would be in love with me." I'll bet that song is going to be going through your head for the rest of the day, if not week! Admit it. You're singing about a HOT DOG!

This form of advertising probably goes back as far as cavemen banging sticks on rocks and touting their latest brontosaurus burger recipe.

I know cavemen and dinosaurs didn't exist at the same time, but humor me. We're talking about singing about food and cars and upset tummy medications. Isn't it great?

I once wrote a jingle for a fast food restaurant touting they're new salad bar and I thought I was going to be tarred and feathered and run from the Kansas town. I can still hear; "Super crunchin', great for munchin', gotta have a salad, a bigger, better salad, gotta have a Spangles gourmet salad now!"

Oh Glory Days indeed.

There are always new good jingles coming our way and then there are those I hear and go, HUH? "I'm lovin' it" by McDonalds is the most recent like this, but they did unveil, "Two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun".

I'm going to give them a break because of that gem. Speaking of such don't "you deserve a break today"?

Michael Stone
Singer-songwriter-radio personality

Oh yeah then take that!

2007-05-15T13:52:00.000-07:00

The neighbor's next door "stereo is too loud" argument has been going on for years. It probably began when Ug banged his rocks together too loudly and upset Gok in the next door Condo-Cave, but I digress.

I couldn't help but smile and enjoy the inventiveness of a certain Houston, Delaware, man we'll call him Barney V, took first the high tech and then the high volume approach to some serious cranked Bon Jovi at his neighbors abode.

Mr. V has been feuding for several years with his neighbors over their loud rock music. So what's his first mode of finding a solution? Invent something!

Barney invented a device, which which remotely rendered their stereo equipment useless, pretty sharp cookie eh? But alas the long arm of the law was there to slap down Barney's ingenuity. A judge curtailed the device's use.

So what did Mr. V. do? He started writing and performing his own music and not just your average loud music. No, Barney started to experiment.

His first piece?

"Sonata for Calliope of Truck Horns About to Be Transcribed for Locomotive Horns Opus No. 1". That got the neighbors attention and the issue has been settled peacefully and out of court. Details of the arrangement were not available to this scribe.

It does take me back to my early days of composition and of course the famous: "Boston Pots 'n Pans Clanging in D" or the "Dog,Cat fight Aria for bloated Opera Singer", and of course my masterpiece."Baby's Screaming Cacophony Concerto in C sharp".

Barney, by the way, lives in a house shaped like a flying saucer. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Michael Stone
Singer-Songwriter
AudioPros.com

Michael Stone Music -signs with 7 Digital distribution

2007-05-15T04:52:00.000-07:00

Hi all!

I've got a digital preview of my new cd "Inspired by a true story" Listen and find out why this music is so unique. Nothing like it is out there! Four of my songs are available for digital download through 7 Digital. I first discovered this great service for Independent artists while researching Paul McCartney's new cd for my radio show. You can listen below. If the player is not displaying properly VISIT HERE.

If you feel so "Inspired" download a track or two prior to the 2007release of the physical cd!

All the best!
Michael Stone

Compelling audio

2007-05-14T06:10:00.000-07:00

Producing audio that grabs listeners by the ears is of course the challenge to all of us, no matter what our Audio preference.

We all do it utilizing all the tools, techniques and toys at our disposal. Whether it be musician, audio book, radio-tv commercial production or a podcast the attention to many minute details can be the make or break moment for whether your spot, music, YOUR message gets heard and noticed. After all your audience-customer is bombarded with thousands of visual and audio impressions daily. Rather than seeing it as competition, I see it as inspiration to better my product.

SO what's it going to take for your piece of audio brilliance to stand out? Look at it from your perspective as a listener. That's a great place to start.

Here's a few quick pointers:

Have interesting content: Time and again I'm struck by the lack of thought put into the creative process. An intelligent turn of a phrase can lift even the simplest of audio projects to a new height. The KISS theory applies here. Keep it simple.
Utilize effects, but paint with sound. A dab here or there. You don't always need splash the canvas with wizardry. Find the appropriate time to use just the right audio technique to enhance, not obscure your intent. Be an audio chef. Too much of anything, no matter how good, can spoil the recipe. And always remember that reverb, flange or chorus effects can in the end, after a particularly complex mix, become an unmanageable audio nightmare.
Sound effects can be powerful tools in your audio palette as well, but again be cautious to not over do it. The obvious sound effects are also usually the superfluous.

If you're a musician you also may find yourself tempted to use some of the bells and whistles, but again on a cautionary note, these things can muddle and even draw away from the original content.

One of the ways I've always tried to determine the true value of a song or other audio as something that compels the listener to pay attention is this: "How would it sound with just a guitar and vocal, or as a dry voice read"?

The music that grabs me by the ears is first and foremost memorable no matter what the audio production techniques involved.

This was so true of the BEATLES. Even though George Martin's genius as a producer is a given when you hear the songs stripped down on the BEATLES Love cd, you realize the simple genius of songwriting.

Others that do this for me are Marc Cohn, Billy Joel, Marvin Gaye and my personal favorite, Cat Stevens.

One of my favorite songwriting quotes is this: "ah the wonder of three chords yet again!". It rings so true.

Here's to hearing compelling audio! Cheers.

Michael Stone-Singer-Songwriter-radio personality
AudioPros.com-Professional audio services

A SONAR 6 Epiphany

2007-05-11T05:01:00.000-07:00

Working with all of the various audio recording software's on the market can sometimes be dizzying. I use many differing audio programs in my audio productions, depending on my needs and sometimes even my mood at times. It's all about personal comfort level, ease of use and how quickly does this project absolutely have to be done.

Some of those softwares include: Samplitude_Blank, a marvelous piece of software that's seen a comeback as of late after going out of business. I have Adobe Audition 2.0 (They bought Cool Edit and upgraded) I do like it and use it often. (boots too slow) But they have also released Adobe Soundbooth CS3, which they tout as the second coming. I can't comment, (haven't use it) but at under $200 it's worth taking a look at. specially considering the producers. An incredible free player on the Audio production stage is Audacity . This is great recording software for basic recordings and it's free, but don't expect bells and whistles or MIDI effects within.

Cakewalk Sonar 6 Producer Edition is my DAW software of choice, especially when it comes to music production. The capabilities of this product are astounding! But as with anything really worth using it comes with a steep learning curve.

That's why when I finally was able to enable and get the MIDI functions to work like I wanted. I was ecstatic. Now i can do what scores of other Independent Artists do everyday. Create custom drum and instrumental tracks for my music.

If you're having similar problems, I suggest Scott Garrigus' book Sonar Power. This is a comprehensive look at how to step by step unravel what seem to be insurmountable obstacles to getting down to basic process of recording your music. There is also a GREAT DVD for learning Sonar 6.

What amazes me is that the Cakewalk Sonar 6 Producer Edition manual has NONE, ZERO, NADA mention of Session 2 Drummer in it. This is one of the reasons I bought the software in the first place was to have a GREAT drumming program to help me the solo; locked in the basement; lair musician. Scott Garrigus' book Sonar Power will help you get past many hurdles. I wish I was as prolific and astute.

Oh and one other resource for discovering the many benefits of Cakewalk Sonar 6 Producer Edition is right here:

YEP! You Tube.

Michael Stone
Singer-songwriter-radio personality-audio production

Independent Music

2007-05-10T14:51:00.000-07:00

I'm an audio production guy. I've been in radio for over 35 years and have been doing morning shows in commercial radio for the better part of that career.

I'm also a musician. Singer-songwriter-performer. I've gone through a bit of a personal renaissance in the recent past both writing and recording my own music. As I've embarked on this surreal journey something completely different happened.

It was like Columbus discovering the New World. Here I was confronted with a whole 'nother world of Independent Music sites, Independent, unsigned bands and artists of not only amazing quality, but quantity as well. Where the hell had I been? I'm pretty well educated in the ways of the world! Oh well don't fret, just jump into the world full tilt boogie, so the speak.

So here I am typing while doing my Indie X-Posure show on SongPlanetRadio for SongPlanet.com about to deliver up a plethora of music to an eager and sometimes similarly uninitiated audience that devours this stuff with a fervor that's difficult to describe.

There's a list of artists here that are as familiar to me as Elton John, Rod Stewart, Pink Floyd, Aretha Franklin and all with music as diverse.

Some of these undiscovered artists include Al Stravinsky, Avalanche, Lex Zaleta, Rose Falcon, Acoustic Reserve, Maria Daines and Paul Killington Guy Michetti, Rhiann Holly and many many more. All of which should or could be signed to a major label and enjoy the successes that capitalism affords many. But for whatever reason(s) many of these people write, record and perform in relative obscurity.

That in NO WAY diminishes the wonderful joy they bring to many with impactful performances and songwriting.

So if you get a chance tune in my show or hop in your Nina, Pinta or Santa Maria and navigate these great seas of unsigned artists!

Michael Stone

Last minute jobs

2007-05-10T08:04:00.000-07:00

It seems that last minute Audio Production jobs are the norm in this business.
It's one of those situations that I actually relish because the challenge is to exceed customer expectations. Produce, deliver and satisfy with a great voice-over or what ever.

Today is no different. A quick turnaround on spot for TV for Westchester. NY and their Armed Forces Parade. What a great client! Pronunciations included with the email.

They'll have within the hour.

Michael